Provençal

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

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

Save This Word!

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.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON AFFECT VS. EFFECT!

In effect, this quiz will prove whether or not you have the skills to know the difference between “affect” and “effect.”

Question 1 of 7

The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.

affect

effect

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

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. 2022

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