Provençal

[ proh-vuhn-sahl, prov-uhn-; French praw-vahn-sal ]

/ ˌproʊ vənˈsɑl, ˌprɒv ən-; French prɔ vɑ̃ˈsal /

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adjective

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

noun

a native or inhabitant of Provence.

Also called Occitan. a Romance language once widely spoken in southern France, still in use in some rural areas. Abbreviations: Pr, Pr., Prov.Compare langue d'oc.

the dialect of Provençal used in Provence.

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Origin of Provençal

First recorded in 1580–90; from Middle French, from Latin prōvinciālis provincial; see origin at Provence, -al¹

Words nearby Provençal

Prov, provascular tissue, prove, proven, provenance, Provençal, Provençale, Provence, Provence rose, provender, provenience

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Provençal in a sentence

Count on bold flavors, as on one night’s Provençal, a special trumpeting capers, olives, juicy sungold tomatoes and salami slices practically thin enough to read through.
2021 Fall Dining Guide|Tom Sietsema|October 6, 2021|Washington Post
While the humans are entertaining enough in this Provencal matinee, the bird is the star.
One Perfect Summer Day in Virginia Woolf, Saul Bellow and Others|Matt Seidel|September 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Castagnould was a Provencal and an old servant of the Mignon family.
Repertory Of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A -- Z|Anatole Cerfberr and Jules Franois Christophe
While thus the interview is going on between Dalibard and the conspirator, we must bestow a glance upon the Provencal's home.
Lucretia, Complete|Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Hubert bent the knee to the new lord, with all that grace which he inherited from his Provencal blood.
The House of Walderne|A. D. Crake
In a no less expressive fashion, the Provencal peasant calls it lou portofais, lou porto-caneu.
The Life of the Fly|J. Henri Fabre
He eats the same food as his two servants, a Provencal lad and the old woman who used to wait on his wife.
Letters of Two Brides|Honore de Balzac

British Dictionary definitions for Provençal

Provençal

/ (ˌprɒvɒnˈsɑːl, French prɔvɑ̃sal) /

adjective

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

noun

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 statusSee also langue d'oc

a native or inhabitant of Provence

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012