WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Ru"ral
Part of Speech : a.
Etymology : [F., fr. L.ruralis, fr. rus, ruris, the country. Cf. Room space, Rustic.]
Definition : 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. (Eccl.) See under Dean. -- Rural deanery (Eccl.), the state, office, or residence, of a rural dean.

Syn. -- 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.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913