Provençal

American  

[proh-vuhn-sahl, prov-uhn-, praw-vahn-sal] / ˌproʊ vənˈsɑl, ˌprɒv ən-, prɔ vɑ̃ˈsal /

adjective

1. of or relating to Provence, its people, or their language.

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Provence.

2. Also called Occitan. a Romance language once widely spoken in southern France, still in use in some rural areas. Pr, Pr., Prov.

3. the dialect of Provençal used in Provence.

Provençal British  

/ prɔvɑ̃sal, ˌprɒvɒnˈsɑːl /

adjective

1. relating to, denoting, or characteristic of Provence, its inhabitants, their dialect of French, or their Romance language

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noun

1. a language of Provence, closely related to Catalan, French, and Italian, belonging to the Romance group of the Indo-European family. It was important in the Middle Ages as a literary language, and attempts have been made since the 19th century to revive its literary status See also langue d'oc

2. a native or inhabitant of Provence

Etymology

Origin of Provençal

First recorded in 1580–90; from Middle French, from Latin prōvinciālis provincial; see origin at Provence, -al ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Provençal

Right on the Place des Lices, the Hôtel Les Palmiers offers 25 rooms in a traditional Provençal building set in a garden.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

Many traditional stews are built without it: a Central American jocón, a West African mafe and a Provençal daube all skip browning and rely on other ingredients to deepen their flavors.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 13, 2024

She calls the preparation a “tian,” a French Provençal term that refers to a shallow round earthenware vessel, as well as the dishes baked in it.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 13, 2023

Picpoul de Pinet, a Provençal white, would be excellent, and I’ve tried some good versions coming from California.

From New York Times ● Nov. 1, 2021

Provençal poetry cannot be shown to have had any direct influence upon English, which is rather strange considering the close relations between England and the districts where the Provençal language—the langue d’oc—was spoken.

From Medieval English Literature Home University of Modern Knowledge #43 by W. P. (William Paton) Ker

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