Ru″ral (?), a. [F., fr. L. ruralis, fr. rus, ruris, the country. Cf. Room space, Rustic.] 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 inhabitants 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.