province

noun

prov·​ince ˈprä-vən(t)s 

1

a

: a country or region brought under the control of the ancient Roman government

b

: an administrative district or division of a country

c

provinces plural : all of a country except the metropolises

2

a

: a division of a country forming the jurisdiction of an archbishop or metropolitan

b

: a territorial unit of a religious order

3

a

: a biogeographic division of less rank than a region

b

: an area that exhibits essential continuity of geologic history

also : one characterized by particular structural or petrological features

4

a

: proper or appropriate function or scope : sphere

that question is outside my province

b

: a department of knowledge or activity

Synonyms of province

• area
• department
• realm
• domain
• element
• kingdom
• field
• walk
• sphere

Choose the Right Synonym for province

function, office, duty, province mean the acts or operations expected of a person or thing.

function implies a definite end or purpose or a particular kind of work.

the function of language is two-fold: to communicate emotion and to give information

—Aldous Huxley

office is typically applied to the function or service associated with a trade or profession or a special relationship to others.

they exercise the offices of the judge, the priest, the counsellor

—W. E. Gladstone

duty applies to a task or responsibility imposed by one's occupation, rank, status, or calling.

it is the judicial duty of the court, to examine the whole case

—R. B. Taney

province applies to a function, office, or duty that naturally or logically falls to one.

I felt it was not my province to inquire

—Anne Brontë

Examples of province in a Sentence

They left the city for life in the provinces.

a legal question outside the doctor's province

Recent Examples on the Web

Syria was believed to have operated an extensive undeclared nuclear program under Assad that included a nuclear reactor built by North Korea in eastern Deir el-Zour province. — Stephanie Liechtenstein, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026

The Ebola outbreak is spreading across six provinces in eastern Congo in some of the most difficult conditions imaginable, fueled by rebel violence, displacement and intense population movements. — ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026

The flood inundated more than 20 million mu (5,148 square miles ) of land across several provinces. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026

Several other instances of illness linked to the MBG program have cropped up, including a group of 15 elementary schoolers and a school principal who became nauseous and dizzy after a meal in the Aceh province’s Bener Meriah regency, per the AP. — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin provincia

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

province

noun

prov·​ince ˈpräv-ən(t)s 

1

a

: a country or region brought under the control of the ancient Roman government

b

: a usually large division of a country having its own government

Canadian provinces

c

plural : all of a country except the chief cities

2

: the jurisdiction of an archbishop or metropolitan

3

: proper or appropriate business or area of skill, knowledge, or interest

a legal question outside the physician's province