provincial

1 of 2

noun

pro·​vin·​cial prə-ˈvin(t)-shəl How to pronounce provincial (audio)
1
: the superior of a province of a Roman Catholic religious order
2
: one living in or coming from a province
3
a
: a person of local or restricted interests or outlook
b
: a person lacking urban polish or refinement

provincial

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or coming from a province
2
a
: limited in outlook : narrow
b
: lacking the polish of urban society : unsophisticated
3
: of or relating to a decorative style (as in furniture) marked by simplicity, informality, and relative plainness
especially : french provincial
provincially adverb

Examples of provincial in a Sentence

Noun the confidence man figured that fleecing these provincials would be easy Adjective She speaks with a provincial accent. an artist who has been criticized for being provincial and old-fashioned His provincial attitude was a source of irritation for her. She is too provincial to try foreign foods.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The gilets jaunes protests, a largely peri-urban phenomenon, inverted the roles played by Parisians and provincials in 1871. Robert Zaretsky, Foreign Affairs, 30 Mar. 2021 Until recently, attendees at such a talk would have seen themselves as mere provincials gathering to hear a report from the great halls of power in London and Washington. Jonathan Kay, Foreign Affairs, 15 Aug. 2017
Adjective
Paju police referred queries on the incident to provincial police authorities. Reuters, NBC News, 2 Oct. 2024 The standard British media depiction of a gambling addict, for example, is a working-class white man from a provincial town, not a city banker with the last name Ramdani. Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for provincial 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'provincial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

in sense 1, from Middle English, from Anglo-French or Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin provincialis, from provincia ecclesiastical province; in other senses, from Latin provincialis, from provincia province

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of provincial was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near provincial

Cite this Entry

“Provincial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provincial. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

provincial

1 of 2 noun
pro·​vin·​cial prə-ˈvin-chəl How to pronounce provincial (audio)
1
: a person living in or coming from a province
2
: a provincial person

provincial

2 of 2 adjective
1
: of, relating to, or coming from a province
2
a
: limited in outlook : narrow
b
: lacking the ways and manners of city people
3
: of or relating to a style (as in furniture) marked by simple design and plain decoration
a French provincial table
provinciality
-ˌvin-chē-ˈal-ət-ē
noun
provincially adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on provincial

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