Pastoral vs. Rural — What's the Difference?

A pastoral lifestyle is that of shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasture. It lends its name to a genre of literature, art, and music that depicts such life in an idealized manner, typically for urban audiences.

Of, relating to, or characteristic of the country.

(of land) used for the keeping or grazing of sheep or cattle

Of or relating to people who live in the country

(in the Christian Church) concerning or appropriate to the giving of spiritual guidance

Of or relating to farming; agricultural.

A work of literature portraying an idealized version of country life

Relating to the countryside or to agriculture.

Of or relating to shepherds or herders.

(obsolete) A person from the countryside; a rustic.

Of, relating to, or used for animal husbandry.

Of or pertaining to the country, as distinguished from a city or town; living in the country; suitable for, or resembling, the country; rustic; as, rural scenes; a rural prospect.

Of or relating to the country or country life; rural.

Of or pertaining to agriculture; as, rural economy.

Charmingly simple and serene; idyllic.

Living in or characteristic of farming or country life;

Of, relating to, or being a literary or other artistic work that portrays or evokes rural life, usually in an idealized way.

Relating to rural areas;

Of or relating to a pastor or the duties of a pastor

A literary or other artistic work that portrays or evokes rural life, usually in an idealized way.

(Music) A pastorale.

Of or pertaining to shepherds or herders of other livestock.

Relating to rural life and scenes, in particular of poetry.

Relating to the care of souls, to the pastor of a church or to any local religious leader charged with the service of individual parishioners, i.e. a priest or rabbi.

A poem describing the life and manners of shepherds; a poem in which the speakers assume the character of shepherds; an idyll; a bucolic.

(music) A cantata relating to rural life; a composition for instruments characterized by simplicity and sweetness; a lyrical composition the subject of which is taken from rural life.

A letter of a pastor to his charge; specifically, a letter addressed by a bishop to his diocese.

A letter of the House of Bishops, to be read in each parish.

Of or pertaining to shepherds; hence, relating to rural life and scenes; as, a pastoral life.

Relating to the care of souls, or to the pastor of a church; as, pastoral duties; a pastoral letter.

A poem describing the life and manners of shepherds; a poem in which the speakers assume the character of shepherds; an idyl; a bucolic.

A cantata relating to rural life; a composition for instruments characterized by simplicity and sweetness; a lyrical composition the subject of which is taken from rural life.

A letter of a pastor to his charge; specifically, a letter addressed by a bishop to his diocese; also (Prot. Epis. Ch.), a letter of the House of Bishops, to be read in each parish.

A musical composition that evokes rural life

A letter from a pastor to the congregation

A literary work idealizing the rural life (especially the life of shepherds)

Of or relating to a pastor;

Relating to shepherds or herdsmen or devoted to raising sheep or cattle;

Used of idealized country life;

Suggestive of an idyll; charmingly simple and serene;