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rural

1. Of or pertaining to the country, as distinguished from a city or town; living in the country; suitable for, or resembling, the country; rustic; as, rural scenes; a rural prospect. Here is a rural fellow; . . . He brings you figs. (Shak)

2. Of or pertaining to agriculture; as, rural economy. Rural dean.

The state, office, or residence, of a rural dean.

Synonym: rustic.

Rural, rustic. Rural refers to the country itself; as, rural scenes, prospects, delights, etc. Rustic refers to the character, condition, taste, etc, of the original inhabitans of the country, who were generally uncultivated and rude; as, rustic manners; a rustic dress; a rustic bridge; rustic architecture, etc. We turn To where the silver Thames first rural grows. (Thomson) Lay bashfulness, that rustic virtue, by; To manly confidence thy throughts apply. (Dryden)

Origin: F, fr. L.ruralis, fr. Rus, ruris, the country. Cf. Room space, Rustic.