Countrify

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈkʌn.tɹɪ.fʌɪ/

Definitions

1. To make something acquire the characteristics, qualities, or appearance typical of rural areas or the countryside
2. To transform an object or setting to reflect traits associated with rural environments or agricultural lifestyles
3. To instill the essence of rural life into an item or place, making it appear more homely and simple

Etymology: "Countrify" is about as plain as English word formation gets: the noun "country" with the suffix "-fy", which comes from Latin "-ficare" through Old French and means "to make or become." Put them together and you get "to make something rural in character." The noun behind it has a more tangled past. "Country" traces back to Latin "contrata," a shortened form of "terra contrata," meaning "land lying opposite" or "land spread out before one." That Latin phrase passed through Vulgar Latin and Old French "contree" before reaching Middle English as "contre," and the modern spelling settled in later. So the word's core idea is simply a stretch of land seen from a particular spot. Because "-fy" is so productive, English speakers have attached it to many nouns, and "countrify" follows that pattern, with the sense that a place or thing is being given the look and feel of the countryside.

Synonyms: ruralize, rusticize, agrarianize

Antonyms: urbanize, metropolitanize