late 14c., "inhabitant of Asia (Minor)," from Latin Asianus (adjective and noun, "belonging to the province of Asia;" "an inhabitant of Asia"), from Greek Asianos "Asiatic," from Asia (see Asia). It ousted Asiatic as the preferred term mid-20c.

The term "Asiatic" has come to be regarded with disfavour by those to whom it is applied, and they feel entitled to be brought into line with usage in regard to Europeans, Americans and Australians. [Times Literary Supplement, Feb. 6, 1953]

As an adjective in English, "of or pertaining to Asia," from 1560s; common from c. 1930. Related: Asianic (1879).

mid-13c., "(one's) native land;" c. 1300, "any geographic area," sometimes with implications of political organization, from Old French contree, cuntrede "region, district, country," from Vulgar Latin *(terra) contrata "(land) lying opposite," or "(land) spread before one," in Medieval Latin "country, region," from Latin contra "opposite, against" (see contra-). The native word is land.

Also from c. 1300 as "area surrounding a walled city or town; the open country." By early 16c. the word was applied mostly to rural areas, as opposed to towns and cities. Meaning "inhabitants of a country, the people" is from c. 1300.

INTERVIEWER [Steve Rossi]: "Would you say you're the best fighter in the country?

PUNCH-DRUNK BOXER [Marty Allen]: "Yeah, but in the city they murder me." 

As an adjective from late 14c., "peculiar to one's own country (obsolete); by 1520s as "pertaining to or belonging to the rural parts of a region," typically with implications of "rude, unpolished."

Country air "fresh air" is from 1630s. First record of country-and-western as a music style is by 1942, American English. Country music is by 1968. Country club "recreational and social club, typically exclusive, located in or near the country" is by 1886. Country mile "a long way" is from 1915, American English. Country-mouse is from 1580s; the fable of the mouse cousins is as old as Aesop. Country road "road through rural regions" is from 1873.

1767, of roads, "lying or directed across fields or open country," from cross- + country, or a shortening of across-country. Of flights, from 1909. As a noun, "outdoor distance running as a sport," by 1956.

"interior regions" of a land, 1560s, from in (prep.) + country.

"interior regions," 1680s, from up- + country (n.). As an adjective from 1810; as an adverb from 1864.

"inhabitants of rural areas," by 1722, a hybrid from country + folk. Earlier it meant "fellow-citizen, countryman" (1540s).

Asian country name, 1550s (earliest European usage is in Italian, by Marco Polo),  of uncertain origin, probably ultimately from Sanskrit Cina-s "the Chinese," perhaps from Qin dynasty, which ruled 3c. B.C.E. Latinized as Sina, hence Sinologist. The Chinese word for the country is Chung-kuo (Wade-Giles), Zhongguo (Pinyin).

Southeast Asian land, from the name of legendary founder Lao. Related: Laotian (1861).

1789, Anglo-Indian, in reference to the offspring of a European father and an Asian mother, from half + caste.

Southeast Asian nation, the name is said to be from Kambu, legendary ancestor of the people. Related: Cambodian.