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outland

outland

2 9.4
A distant land far beyond the sea
  • noun
  • /ˈaʊtˌlænd/
  • Archaic
translation icon : tierra lejana
  • We roamed the outlands.

Examples

  • Electrical power from the existing Isle Maligne and Chute-Caron plants had run largely to waste, while Alcan's top salesmen scoured the continent in an effort to entice industrial customers to the outland region.

    Academic text (2004)
  • They show up at outland markets from time to time, with rare goods to trade.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • You can find him in the outlands.

  • No one else wanted to run the outlands.

  • You come from the Outlands.

  • Beyond the far reaches of the Outlands.

  • On an impulse, he pulled into the Renaissance Market, a blind alley built out of 23rd Street and some old police barricades, where vendors and craftsmen from the outlands came to sell their wares.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • The explorers set off to discover the mysteries of the outland that lay beyond the mountains.

  • She was fascinated by tales of ancient civilizations that thrived in distant outlands.

  • Traveling to the outland was a dream for many adventurers seeking new experiences.

Synonyms

middle of nowhere
vsoutland
  • Informal
91 4.6

A place far from towns and people

is broader, also including distant foreign lands rather than only isolation
backcountry
vsoutland
  • US
19 6.2

A wild area far from towns and roads, like a mountain

includes distant or foreign regions but not only wild or roadless places
hinterland
vsoutland
8 8.8

An area far from cities or the coast, often remote and less developed

is broader, meaning any distant or foreign region not only peripheral areas
backwood
vsoutland
  • US
7 8.4

A remote forest area far from towns and roads

is broader, covering any distant or foreign region not only forests
wildland
vsoutland
  • US
4 5.5

An area of land left in its natural state and not built on

is more general, including distant regions that may be cultivated or settled
outworld
vsoutland
  • Literature
1 9.9

A world you do not know, seen in fantasy or science fiction

is a real distant or foreign region rather than a fictional realm
back country
vsoutland
1 5.7

A remote wild area far from towns and roads

is more general, covering distant regions that may be inhabited or varied
back of beyond
vsoutland
  • UK
1 9.8

A place far from towns and people

is similar but can mean any distant or foreign region, not only inaccessible ones
arse end of nowhere
vsoutland
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A very remote place far from towns and cities

is neutral and general, not primarily slang or crude in tone
backland
vsoutland
7.4

A rural area far from towns and cities with few people

covers distant regions generally, not limited to rural or agricultural places
backlands
vsoutland
  • UK
7.7

Areas far from towns or cities where few people live and life is often hard

is broader, applying to any distant or foreign region regardless of hardship
ghostland
vsoutland
8.2

A deserted place with very few people or little activity

is wider, meaning distant or foreign lands that may still be inhabited

Antonyms

1.0

To or at the place where someone lives

How Remote

outland
  • Archaic
2 9.4
region
977 2.0
town
1.0

Surface Forms

outland singular
outlands plural

Morphology

outland = land (transparent) = out + land

Clear compound of 'out' + 'land' meaning a land that is outside or remote; the sense follows directly from the components. [Postprocessing: moved 'out' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

Outland comes from the parts out- and land, which mean 'outside' and 'land', and the out- is the same as in outdoor. So an outland is literally land 'outside' or far away, which is why it means a distant or foreign region.