countrymen

Countrymen is a noun referring to fellow citizens or compatriots of the same country. The term is typically masculine in form and has historically been used to address groups of men or mixed groups. In contemporary writing and speech, gender-neutral alternatives such as compatriots or fellow citizens are often preferred.

Etymology and scope: The word combines country and man, with the plural countrymen. It has appeared in English since medieval and early modern periods in formal, ceremonial, or rhetorical contexts to denote people from one’s homeland. It can refer to a national community or to inhabitants of a particular country.

Usage and examples: In rhetoric and literature, countrymen can signal solidarity and national identity. A famous instance is Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, where Mark Antony addresses “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears” to rally the crowd.

Variants and related terms: Contemporary neutral alternatives include compatriots and fellow citizens. The singular is countryman and the plural countrymen; other terms such as co-nationals are less common. The word is often viewed as archaic or solemn in modern everyday language.

See also: In modern usage, the term is more likely to appear in historical, ceremonial, or literary contexts than in casual speech.