old country

See also: Old Country

English

Noun

old country (plural old countries)

1. 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."

Usage notes

• Sometimes used as a proper noun; see Old Country.

Translations

country of origin of an immigrant

• French: pays (fr) m (with a definite article), bled (fr) m (colloquial)

See also

• back east
• home country
• homeland
• where are you from

 

Anagrams

• undoctorly