countrymen

IPA/ˈkʌn.tri.mən/
KK[kˈʌntrimɪn]IPA/ˈkʌn.tri.mən/

countrymen — noun

  • countrymensingular
  • countrymensplural

1. someone who shares the same nationality or homeland as you, especially when you

1.nounB2
Definition

someone who shares the same nationality or homeland as you, especially when you are both abroad or in a context of national belonging

Example

At the embassy party, Megan was happy to meet fellow countrymen after years abroad.

fellow countrymen — collocation with 'fellow'

The prime minister addressed his countrymen in a live broadcast about the flood crisis.

Common collocations
  • fellow countrymen
  • my countrymen
  • our countrymen
  • duty to one's countrymen
Synonyms
  • compatriot

    more formal; often used in diplomatic or literary contexts

  • fellow citizen

    emphasises civic membership rather than shared birth or heritage

  • fellow national

    neutral term; common in news reporting

Antonyms
  • foreigner

    someone from a different country

  • outsider

    someone not belonging to the group or nation

Usage Note

Frequently used with possessive words (my, our, his, her, their) or the word 'fellow'. More common in formal or patriotic contexts than in everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

My citizens are hardworking people.
My countrymen are hardworking people.
'citizens' can refer to anyone holding a passport; 'countrymen' means people who share your national origin and identity.

2. someone whose home is in the countryside, away from towns, and who keeps to trad

2.nounC1
Definition

someone whose home is in the countryside, away from towns, and who keeps to traditional rural habits

Example

Gabriela spent a summer with countrymen in a mountain village that had no running water.

countrymen in [place] — locative pattern

The countrymen of that hilly region speak a dialect city people cannot follow.

Common collocations
  • the countrymen of [region]
  • old countrymen
  • local countrymen
Synonyms
  • rustic

    more about a person's simple, unsophisticated character; can sound condescending

  • country dweller

    neutral, descriptive term for anyone living outside towns and cities

  • villager

    refers specifically to someone living in a village, a smaller and more specific category

Antonyms

Usage Note

This sense is literary and somewhat old-fashioned. In modern English, 'country folk', 'rural people', or 'villagers' are more common alternatives. Distinguish from sense 1 (FELLOW CITIZEN): sense 2 describes where someone lives, not their nationality.

Common Mistakes

The countrymen voted for the new president.' (when meaning rural people).
The country folk voted for the new president.
sense 2 of 'countrymen' sounds dated; 'country folk' is the natural modern choice for this meaning.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These words all refer to someone from the same country, but they carry different tones. 'Countrymen' (in sense 1) suggests warmth and shared roots — it is the word you would use when feeling emotional about national belonging, as in 'He longed to see his countrymen again.' 'Compatriot' is cooler and more formal, often appearing in diplomatic or literary writing: 'The ambassador greeted her compatriots at the reception.' 'Fellow citizen' emphasises legal and civic ties rather than cultural or ethnic ones: 'He urged his fellow citizens to vote.' 'Fellow national' sits in between — neutral and factual, common in news reports: 'Three fellow nationals were also on the flight.' For everyday speech, 'countrymen' can sound a little grand; 'people from my country' is the ordinary alternative.

compatriotfellow citizenfellow national

Etymology

Old FrenchLatinMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed from 'country' (from Old French contree, from Latin contra 'against, opposite') plus 'man.' The word first appeared in Middle English with both main meanings: a person from one's own nation, and a person who lives in the countryside. These two senses reflect the original breadth of 'country' itself, which once meant both 'nation' and 'rural land.' Over time the two meanings of 'countrymen' grew apart, with the rural sense becoming increasingly old-fashioned in modern English.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1