provincial

1 of 2

noun

pro·​vin·​cial prə-ˈvin(t)-shəl 

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

prə-ˈvin(t)-sh(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms

Noun

• bumpkin
• chawbacon
• churl
• clodhopper
• cornball
• countryman
• hayseed
• hick
• rube
• rustic
• yokel

Adjective

• illiberal
• insular
• Lilliputian
• little
• narrow
• narrow-minded
• parochial
• petty
• picayune
• sectarian
• small
• small-minded

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

That year, an ensemble of forty-nine players performed the world premiere of his Fourth Symphony in the German provincial city of Meiningen. —Justin Davidson, Curbed, 16 Oct. 2024

The city held the top spot on a real-time list of the world’s most polluted cities on Sunday after recording its highest-ever pollution reading of 1900 near the Pakistan-India border on Saturday, based on data released by the provincial government and Swiss group IQAir. —Reuters, NBC News, 4 Nov. 2024

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

Phrases Containing provincial

• French provincial
• inter-provincial

Kids Definition

provincial

1 of 2 noun

pro·​vin·​cial prə-ˈvin-chəl 

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

-ˈvinch-(ə-)lē 

adverb