provincialism
Americannoun
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narrowness of mind, ignorance, or the like, considered as resulting from lack of exposure to cultural or intellectual activity.
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a trait, habit of thought, etc., characteristic of a provincial, a province, or the provinces.
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a word, expression, or mode of pronunciation peculiar to a province.
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devotion to one's own province before the nation as a whole.
noun
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narrowness of mind or outlook; lack of sophistication
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a word or attitude characteristic of a provincial
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attention to the affairs of one's province rather than the whole nation
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the state or quality of being provincial
Etymology
Origin of provincialism
First recorded in 1760–70; provincial + -ism
Explanation
Provincialism is an unsophisticated, small-town way of life. City dwellers commonly accuse those who live in the country of narrow-minded provincialism. Talking about someone's provincialism is fairly derogatory and critical — the word implies a view of the world that is very small and cut off from the wider world. You're most likely to be seen as having this trait if you're from the suburbs or a rural area. Many people start life with a bit of provincialism, becoming more sophisticated and knowledgable about the world as they grow older and gain experience.
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.
Bruce grew up with five siblings in a home tightly circumscribed by T.C.’s paltry salary and the dour provincialism of Simcoe, in the southwest corner of the province, not far from Lake Erie.
From New York Times ● May 5, 2023
You can have a provincialism growing up in a poor place.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 21, 2022
It is the opposite of provincialism: To my mind, it points to a theater town scaling new heights of worldly self-confidence.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 29, 2021
Perhaps we are biased by a bit of provincialism when it comes to Cleary, because she holds a special place in the Northwest.
From Washington Times ● Mar. 31, 2021
I was very backward in those days and the combination of poverty and provincialism made for some amusing incidents.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
