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Definition 2024
old_country
old country
See also: Old Country
English
Noun
old country (plural old countries)
- The country of origin of an immigrant or of a person of immigrant descent.
- 1913, Jack London, Valley Of The Moon, book 3, ch. 1:
- "Look at all the children!" Saxon cried. "School's letting out. And nearly all are Portuguese, Billy, NOT Porchugeeze. Mercedes taught me the right way."
- "They never wore glad rags like them in the old country," Billy sneered. "They had to come over here to get decent clothes and decent grub."
- 1913, Jack London, Valley Of The Moon, book 3, ch. 1:
Usage notes
- Sometimes used as if it were a proper noun. See Old Country.