Rustic, a.
Etymology: [L. rusticus, fr. rus, ruris, the country: cf. F. rustique. See Rural.]
1. Of or pertaining to the country; rural; as, the rustic gods of antiquity. Milton. And many a holy text around she strews, That teach the rustic moralist to die. Gray. She had a rustic, woodland air. Wordsworth.
2. Rude; awkward; rough; unpolished; as, rustic manners. "A rustic muse." Spenser.
3. Coarse; plain; simple; as, a rustic entertainment; rustic dress.
4. Simple; artless; unadorned; unaffected. Pope. Rustic moth (Zoöl.), any moth belonging to Agrotis and allied genera. Their larvæ are called cutworms. See Cutworm. -- Rustic work. (a) (Arch.) Cut stone facing which has the joints worked with grooves or channels, the face of each block projecting beyond the joint, so that the joints are very conspicuous. (b) (Arch. & Woodwork) Summer houses, or furniture for summer houses, etc., made of rough limbs of trees fancifully arranged.
1 more senses
Syn. -- Rural; rude; unpolished; inelegant; untaught; artless; honest. See Rural.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Rustic, n.
1. An inhabitant of the country, especially one who is rude, coarse, or dull; a clown. Hence to your fields, you rustics! hence, away. Pope.
2. A rural person having a natural simplicity of character or manners; an artless, unaffected person. [Poetic]
Shades of meaning
Rural and rustic are alike derived from the Latin rus, country, and may be alike defined as pertaining to, characteristic of, or dwelling in the country; but in usage rural refers especially to scenes or objects in the country, considered as the work of nature; rustic refers to their effect upon man or to their condition as affected by human agency; as, a rural scene; a rustic party; a rustic lass. We speak, however, of the rural population, rural simplicity, etc. Rural has always a favorable sense; rustic frequently an unfavorable one, as denoting a lack of culture and refinement; thus, rustic politeness expresses that which is well-meant, but awkward; similar ideas are suggested by a rustic feast, rustic garb, etc. Rustic is, however, often used of a studied simplicity, an artistic rudeness, which is pleasing and perhaps beautiful; as, a rustic cottage; a rustic chair. Pastoral refers to the care of flocks, and to the shepherd's life with the pleasing associations suggested by the old poetic ideal of that life; as, pastoral poetry. Bucolic is kindred to pastoral, but is a less elevated term, and sometimes slightly contemptuous.