Bucolic

Friday, June 20, 2025
Word of the Day

What is Bucolic?

adjective
Relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.

Pronunciation

US pronunciation: /bjuːˈkɑː.lɪk/
UK pronunciation: /bjuːˈkɒ.lɪk/
Slow pronunciation: byoo-KAH-lik

Meaning Explained

Bucolic paints meadows, flocks, and slow horizons—sometimes sincerely, sometimes knowingly idealized.

Why This Word?

Chosen to set a rural mood for midsummer getaways.

Examples of Use

Here's how this word appears in everyday language:

  • A bucolic interlude refreshed the team.
  • The painting's bucolic charm is deliberate artifice.
  • He wrote bucolic verses about haying crews.

Word Origins

Latin būcolicus from Greek boukólos "cowherd"

Often paired with "pastoral."

First appearance in English: 17th century

Word Family

Related forms of this word:

  • Adjective: pastoral

    Pastoral imagery softened the ad.

  • Noun: idyll

    An idyll unfolded by the brook.

  • Adjective: rustic

    Rustic details charmed guests.

Around the World

How this word appears in other languages:

  • Spanish: bucólico
  • French: bucolique
  • German: bäuerlich-idyllisch
  • Italian: bucolico
  • Portuguese: bucólico

If you Already Know This Word

If you've mastered this word, try these more advanced alternatives:

Arcadian

Utopian rural ideal; bucolic is descriptive.

Sylvan

Wooded; bucolic includes fields and herds.

Agrarian

Relating to land/farming; less aesthetic.

Fun Facts

  • "Idyll" titles often signal bucolic scenes.
  • Urban farms try to reproduce bucolic aesthetics.

Cultural Usage

  • Theocritus established bucolic poetry.
  • Romantics revived bucolic landscapes.

Common Mistakes

Not "buccal" (cheek) or "bacchanal" (feast).

Micro Story

They restored a bucolic path lined with hawthorn.