parochial
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or financially supported by one or more church parishes.
parochial churches in Great Britain.
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of or relating to parochial schools or the education they provide.
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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 bulk of it is expected to go to private and parochial schools, though some public-school costs will be eligible.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026
The outbreak, predictably, was especially bad in private and parochial schools with high numbers of unvaccinated students.
From Slate • Dec. 9, 2025
"Most Indians have a personal favourite mango and parochial regional loyalties have long fuelled heated ranking debates," says Pushpesh Pant, a Delhi-based historian and culinary expert.
From BBC • Aug. 15, 2025
It also includes a host of parochial provisions.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2025
Of course, the audience up here at the Bronx “Y” will probably be a little parochial, but if I make good in the lecture, I might one day end up speaking down at the Lex.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
