old-country
UK[ˈəʊld ˈkʌntri]US[ˈoʊld ˈkʌntri]
n
The country of one's birth or ancestry, especially when one now lives in a different country.
Morpheme Breakdown
old
country
old
ancient, former
country
nation, land
Etymology
The compound "old-country" is a relatively modern formation, emerging from the language of immigrants. The adjective "old," with its Proto-Germanic root aldaz meaning "grown up, adult," is used here not to denote age but to signify former status and emotional primacy. It modifies "country," a word which entered English via French and carries the Latin sense of a distinct territorial region. The compound's logic is directly spatial and temporal, contrasting the immigrant's new land with the original homeland, which remains culturally and personally significant despite physical distance.
Analysis
Structure: old (ancient, former) + country (nation, land)
- old: From Old English eald, meaning "aged, ancient, of long existence." It functions as an adjective modifying 'country' to indicate a former or original homeland.
- country: From Old French contree, ultimately from Latin (terra) contrata ("(land) lying opposite"). It functions as the noun, meaning a nation or territory.
Examples
My grandfather often told stories about life in the old-country.
They sent money back to their families in the old-country.
The festival celebrates the traditions of the old-country.