What does "pastoral" mean?

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

What is a synonym for "pastoral"?

Common synonyms include: arcadian, bucolic, abbatial, abbatical, agrarian, agrestic.

Pronounced //ˈpæs.tə.ɹəl//.

//ˈpæs.tə.ɹəl// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Common ·High school level

Noun

1
A poem describing the life and manners of shepherds; a poem in which the speakers assume the character of shepherds; an idyll; a bucolic.
"Ethel was silent from surprise: she had prepared herself for anger—even sorrow; but ridicule left her without an answer. What could she say to a hearer, who only smiled, and to whom emotion was only a scene in a pastoral?"
2
a literary work idealizing the rural life (especially the life of shepherds) wordnet
3
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.
4
a letter from a pastor to the congregation wordnet
5
A letter of a pastor to his charge; specifically, a letter addressed by a bishop to his diocese.

Show 2 more definitions

Adjective

1
Of or pertaining to shepherds or herders of other livestock.
"Like the Mesolithic age of 10,000-8000 B.C., the period 6000-4000 B.C. seems to be one of the fall of fortresses and the rise of pastoral nomadism."
2
Relating to rural life and scenes, in particular of poetry.
"We were living a pastoral life."
3
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.
"pastoral duties"

Adjective

1
(used with regard to idealized country life) idyllically rustic wordnet
2
of or relating to a pastor wordnet
3
relating to shepherds or herdsmen or devoted to raising sheep or cattle wordnet