backcountry
BAK-kun-tree
/ˈbækˌkʌn.tri/
A sparsely inhabited rural or wilderness region, especially one far from main roads.
Used extensively outdoor recreation (skiing, hiking) to refer to undeveloped terrain beyond marked trails.
The story behind the word. An American English compound word created in the early 18th century. Colonists used 'back country' to refer to land lying behind the settled coastal towns, beyond the edge of European-style development.
Word relationships
- hinterland: Hinterland refers geographically to the land lying behind a coast or shoreline, while backcountry emphasizes undeveloped forest or wilderness.
- outback: Outback refers specifically to the vast, remote interior of Australia.
- frontcountry: Frontcountry refers to outdoor areas easily reached by car with developed amenities.
Commonly confused with
- wilderness: Wilderness is a legal or ecological term for untamed nature; backcountry is an informal term for off-trail outdoor regions.
Collocations
- backcountry skiing
- backcountry camping
- backcountry trail
- deep in the backcountry
Example sentences
- "Before heading into the backcountry, the rangers checked their emergency beacons." Outdoor recreation
Memory hook
In the BACK of the COUNTRY where roads don't go. Backcountry = beyond the marked roads.
When not to use
Avoid in formal political contexts when referring to international borders.
Fun facts
- The term gained widespread military popularity during the American Revolutionary War to describe inland guerrilla battlegrounds.
Related words
Explore more words
countryside, frontier, secluded, mountainous, terrain, wildfire
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.