parochial
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or financially supported by one or more church parishes.
parochial churches in Great Britain.
-
of or relating to parochial schools or the education they provide.
-
very limited or narrow in scope or outlook; provincial.
parochial views; a parochial mentality.
adjective
-
narrow in outlook or scope; provincial
-
of or relating to a parish or parishes
Other Word Forms
- interparochial adjective
- interparochially adverb
- interparochialness noun
- nonparochial adjective
- nonparochially adverb
- parochialism noun
- parochiality noun
- parochially adverb
- parochialness noun
- semiparochial adjective
- unparochial adjective
- unparochially adverb
Etymology
Origin of parochial
1350–1400; late Middle English parochialle < Late Latin parochiālis ( parish, -al 1 ); replacing Middle English parochiele < Anglo-French parochiel < Late Latin as above
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The outbreak, predictably, was especially bad in private and parochial schools with high numbers of unvaccinated students.
From Slate • Dec. 9, 2025
“The parents who have the means will leave for private and parochial schools,” she said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025
Celtic should be way, way beyond such parochial thinking.
From BBC • Aug. 27, 2025
It also includes a host of parochial provisions.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2025
As writers, then, we should try to get into our readers’ heads and be mindful of how easy it is to fall back on parochial jargon and private abstractions.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
