Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “backcountry” come from?

Backcountry derives from English back and country, with country tracing through French pays, Old French contree, Old Swedish nattbakka, Latin bassus, Ancient Greek βάσις, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European gʷémtis meaning foundation or base.

backcountry (English): A remote region; the boondocks

Definitions

  1. A remote region; the boondocks

Ancestry of “backcountry”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbackNear the rear; Not current; Far from the main...
2Frenchbacferry; vat; high school exit exam in France; A...
3Frenchbaccalauréatbaccalaureat; bachelor's degree
4Medieval Latinbaccalaureatusbachelor's degree
5Latinbaccalaureusbachelor
6Latinlaurealaurel, bay tree; crown, wreath or branch of...
7Latinlauruslaurel tree; laurels; a crown of laurel
8English-aceousOf, relating to, resembling or containing the...
9Latin-āceus—
10Latin-āx—
11Latin-iumSuffix used to form abstract nouns, sometimes...
12Latin-iusforming adjectives from nouns; nominative neuter...
13Proto-Italic-jōsForms comparative adjectives
14Proto-Indo-European-yósCreates adjectives from noun or verb stems
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -yós →