Standard Lemma guide

bucolic

adj · noun · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: byo͞okŏʹlĭk
  • UK: /bjuːˈkɒlɪk/
  • US: byo͞okäʹlĭk
  • US: /bjuˈkɑlɪk/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɒlɪk
  • CMU ARPABET: B Y UW0 K AA1 L IH0 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Rustic, pastoral, country-styled.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The countryside was filled with charming, bucolic scenery, complete with rolling hills, fields of wildflowers, and quaint farmhouses.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Relating to the pleasant aspects of rustic country life.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The cozy bed and breakfast was located in a picturesque, bucolic setting, offering guests a chance to escape the city and enjoy the simple pleasures of the countryside.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Pertaining to herdsmen or peasants.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Their traditional clothing and simple way of life reflected their bucolic roots as a community of shepherds and farmers.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A pastoral poem.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A rustic, peasant.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective

Meaning 6

relating to shepherds or herdsmen or devoted to raising sheep or cattle

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • pastoral seminomadic people
  • pastoral land
  • a pastoral economy

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pastoral

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

(used with regard to idealized country life) idyllically rustic

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a country life of arcadian contentment
  • a pleasant bucolic scene
  • charming in its pastoral setting
  • rustic tranquility

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: arcadian, pastoral

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

a short poem descriptive of rural or pastoral life

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: eclogue, idyll, idyl

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pastoral

9

noun

Meaning 9

a country person

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: peasant, provincial

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rustic

Narrower terms: cotter, cottar, muzhik, moujik, mujik, muzjik

History

Etymology

PIE word *gwṓws Borrowed from Latin būcolicus, from Ancient Greek βουκολικός (boukolikós, “rustic, pastoral; meter used by pastoral poets”, literally “pertaining to cowherds”).

From Latin būcolicum, neuter substantive of būcolicus.

Across languages

Translations

54 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: пасторален (pastoralen) — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Bulgarian: провинциален (provincialen) — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Catalan: bucòlic — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Dutch: rustiek — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Dutch: landelijk — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Dutch: bucolisch — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • French: bucolique — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Greek: βουκολικός (voukolikós) — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Greek: αγροτικός (agrotikós) — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Greek: ποιμενικός (poimenikós) — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Ancient Greek: βουκολικός (boukolikós) — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Icelandic: sveitalegur — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Icelandic: sveita- — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Icelandic: sveitalífs- — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Icelandic: sveitasælu- — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Icelandic: óheflaður — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Icelandic: grófgerður — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Icelandic: prests- — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Latin: būcolicus — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Portuguese: bucólico — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Russian: пасторальный (pastoralʹnyj) — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Russian: се́льский (sélʹskij) — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Spanish: bucólico — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Swedish: rustik — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Swedish: lantlig — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Swedish: bukolisk — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Ukrainian: буколічний (bukoličnyj) — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Ukrainian: пасторальний (pastoralʹnyj) — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Ukrainian: сільський (silʹsʹkyj) — rustic, pastoral, country-styled
  • Bulgarian: селски (selski) — pertaining to herdsmen or peasants
  • Bulgarian: овчарски (ovčarski) — pertaining to herdsmen or peasants
  • Dutch: pastoraal — pertaining to herdsmen or peasants
  • French: pastoral — pertaining to herdsmen or peasants
  • Greek: βουκολικός (voukolikós) — pertaining to herdsmen or peasants
  • Ancient Greek: βουκολικός (boukolikós) — pertaining to herdsmen or peasants
  • Icelandic: bóndalegur — pertaining to herdsmen or peasants
  • Latin: būcolicus — pertaining to herdsmen or peasants
  • Russian: се́льский (sélʹskij) — pertaining to herdsmen or peasants
  • Swedish: bukolisk — pertaining to herdsmen or peasants
  • Swedish: lantlig — pertaining to herdsmen or peasants
  • Swedish: herde- — pertaining to herdsmen or peasants
  • Swedish: bond- — pertaining to herdsmen or peasants
  • Swedish: bondsk — pertaining to herdsmen or peasants
  • Latin: būcolicum — a pastoral poem
  • Polish: bukolika — a pastoral poem
  • Scottish Gaelic: bua-choilleag — a pastoral poem
  • Scottish Gaelic: bò-choilleag — a pastoral poem
  • Scottish Gaelic: coilleag — a pastoral poem
  • Swedish: herdedikt — a pastoral poem
  • Bulgarian: овчар (ovčar) — a rustic, peasant
  • Bulgarian: селянин (seljanin) — a rustic, peasant
  • Latin: būcolicum — a rustic, peasant
  • Swedish: lantbo — a rustic, peasant
  • Swedish: bonde — a rustic, peasant
Real reading context

bucolic in complete knowledge articles