province

[prov-ins]

noun

1. an administrative division or unit of a country.

2. the provinces,

   1. the parts of a country outside of the capital or the largest cities.

   2. (in England) all parts of the country outside of London.

3. a country, territory, district, or region.

4. Geography.,  physiographic province.

5. a department or branch of learning or activity.

   the province of mathematics.

   Synonyms: area

6. sphere or field of activity or authority, as of a person; office, function, or business.

   Such decisions do not lie within his province.

7. a major subdivision of British India.

8. an ecclesiastical territorial division, as that within which an archbishop or a metropolitan exercises jurisdiction.

9. History/Historical.

   1. any of the North American colonies now forming major administrative divisions of Canada.

   2. any of certain colonies of Great Britain which are now part of the U.S.

10. Roman History.,  a country or territory outside of Italy, brought under the ancient Roman dominion and administered by a governor sent from Rome.

11. Mining.,  an individual mineral-producing area.

province

/ ˈprɒvɪns /

noun

1. a territory governed as a unit of a country or empire

2. a district, territory, or region

3. (plural) those parts of a country lying outside the capital and other large cities and regarded as outside the mainstream of sophisticated culture

4. ecology a subdivision of a region, characterized by a particular fauna and flora

5. an area or branch of learning, activity, etc

6. the field or extent of a person's activities or office

7. RC Church Church of England an ecclesiastical territory, usually consisting of several dioceses, and having an archbishop or metropolitan at its head

8. a major administrative and territorial subdivision of a religious order

9. history a region of the Roman Empire outside Italy ruled by a governor from Rome

Other Word Forms

• subprovince noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of province¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin prōvincia “province, official charge”

Word History and Origins

Origin of province¹

C14: from Old French, from Latin prōvincia conquered territory

Example Sentences

The Thai government said in a statement late Thursday that the death toll from several days of flooding in Songkhla province had jumped to 55, up from six the previous day.

Read more on Barron's

Carney said the agreement “really sets the stage for an industrial transformation,” because there are commitments from Alberta to lower emissions intensity from the resource-rich province.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Roberge said the limits on public prayer were in reaction to recent protests in the province, where there has been debate over groups praying at pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Read more on BBC

Extreme weather has battered North Sumatra for several days, triggering flooding and landslides in several districts across the province.

Read more on Barron's

Video clips of him crouching and then being whisked away from a rally in the Copperbelt province shocked Zambians and many people, irrespective of their political affiliation, condemned what happened.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• colony 
• county 
• department 
• district 
• part 
• region 
• territory 
• zone