rural

adjective

ru·​ral ˈru̇r(-ə)l 

ˈrər(-ə)l

: of or relating to the country, country people or life, or agriculture

rurality

ru̇-ˈra-lə-tē 

noun

rurally

ˈru̇r-ə-lē 

ˈrər-

adverb

Synonyms of rural

• pastoral
• country
• rustic
• bucolic

Examples of rural in a Sentence

She lives in a rural area.

grew up in a rural community where more than half the people were farmers

Recent Examples on the Web

For Americans in rural communities, getting adequate health treatment has often been an uphill battle. — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 2026

Receiving the money was contingent upon the residents of the rural Pennsylvania region at the foot of the Poconos allowing the developer to build a 15-building campus, dubbed Project Hazelnut. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026

That argument is particularly relevant in rural communities where the timber industry remains an important source of employment and revenue. — Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026

Scores of residents were evacuated from their homes near the base early Sunday as armed police officers and army bomb-disposal experts swooped on the rural area. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin ruralis, from rur-, rus open land — more at room

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing rural

• rural dean
• rural free delivery
• rural route

Rhymes for rural

• crural
• dural
• jural
• mural
• neural
• pleural
• plural
• sural
• extramural
• intramural
• intrapleural
• figural

Kids Definition

rural

adjective

ru·​ral ˈru̇r-əl 

: of or relating to the country, country people or life, or agriculture