provincialism

noun

pro·​vin·​cial·​ism prə-ˈvin(t)-shə-ˌli-zəm How to pronounce provincialism (audio)
1
: a dialectal or local word, phrase, or idiom
2
: the quality or state of being provincial

Examples of provincialism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And finally, the struggle against the provincialism and ignorance of Czech society. Jared Marcel Pollen, The New Republic, 12 July 2023 True to its namesake, the last day of this year’s festival repped all of the Boston things, from sarcasm to loyalty, Sam to Dunks, provincialism to the Hub of the Universe. James Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, 29 May 2023 Bruce grew up with five siblings in a home tightly circumscribed by T.C.’s paltry salary and the dour provincialism of Simcoe, in the southwest corner of the province, not far from Lake Erie. William Grimes, New York Times, 5 May 2023 Since a plan to expand to 12 teams was unveiled in the spring of 2021, and then snarled throughout the rest of the year by mistrust and provincialism, the commissioners have blown through several soft deadlines, hoping more time would bring consensus. Ralph D. Russo, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Sep. 2022 Endless Flight is the first biography in English of Joseph Roth, and that in itself is a sad reflection of native provincialism and ignorance. David Harsanyi, National Review, 2 Feb. 2023 But at the meeting, multiple speakers noted changes over the years in South Boston, long known for its provincialism, including growing diversity of its residents. Danny McDonald, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Oct. 2022 When his dissertation was published as City of Quartz, describing the cultural and economic history of Los Angeles that led to massive economic inequality, he was criticized by some (including The New York Times) for a kind of L.A. provincialism. Max Holleran, The New Republic, 26 Oct. 2022 Robert’s funeral, a smug Czech editor accuses Less of provincialism. Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 12 Sep. 2022

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

Word History

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of provincialism was in 1770

Dictionary Entries Near provincialism

Cite this Entry

“Provincialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provincialism. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

provincialism

noun
pro·​vin·​cial·​ism prə-ˈvin-chə-ˌliz-əm How to pronounce provincialism (audio)
1
: a local word, phrase, or idiom
2
: the quality or state of being provincial

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