province
/ˈprɒvɪns
/noun
1A principal administrative division of a country or empire: Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province...
- That country is made up of three old Ottoman Empire provinces and they do have secessionist tendencies.
- The train is intended to ease congestion caused by more than 300 000 cars a day travelling between the province's two principal cities.
- Although there are provincial divisions, provinces tend to identify with one another by region.
Synonyms
territory, region, state, department, canton, area, district, sector, zone, division, administrative district/division/unit/area;
colony, settlement, dominion, fief, protectorate, mandate, dependency, possession, holding, satellite state
1.1 (the Province) British Northern Ireland: all-party talks on the future of the Province
1.2 Christian Church A district under an archbishop or a metropolitan.The American Church is the wealthiest of all 38 Anglican provinces, and dioceses such as Liberia are almost entirely dependent on its support....
- Along with the Diocese of Ferns and Ossory it is part of the Dublin province with the Archbishop of Dublin as its metropolitan.
- Bishop Packer will act as chief consecrator on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Metropolitan of the province.
1.3 Roman History A territory outside Italy under a Roman governor.Then in 61-60 he served as governor of the Roman province of Further Spain....
- His provincial command included the Roman province of southern Gaul.
- The Romans named the province Dalmatia after the largest and bravest of the tribes living on the coast.
2 (the provinces) British The whole of a country outside the capital, especially when regarded as lacking in sophistication or culture: I made my way home to the dreary provinces by train...
- The overwhelming majority of its members are women from the provinces, that is outside the National Capital District.
- He issued a decree appealing to his ministers in the capital and in the provinces to publicize his reform edicts, in the hope that Chinese public opinion would rally to his support.
- Liberal and democratic periodicals flourished both in the capital and the provinces.
Synonyms
non-metropolitan areas/counties, the rest of the country, middle England/America, rural areas/districts, the countryside, the backwoods, the wilds, the wilderness, the back of beyond
informal the sticks, the middle of nowhere
North American informal the boondocks
3 (one's province) An area of special knowledge, interest, or responsibility: she knew little about wine—that had been her father’s province...
- To my fancy he was making a great fuss about nothing, but it was not my province to say so.
- Mr Holloway said it was not his province to decide on his own jurisdiction; he could enquire into it, but only make an observation.
Synonyms
area of responsibility, area of activity, area of interest, area of knowledge, area, department, responsibility, sphere, world, realm, field, discipline, domain, territory, orbit, preserve, business, affair, line of business, line, speciality, forte, line of country, charge, concern, worry, duty, jurisdiction, authority
informal pigeon, bailiwick, turf
Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin provincia 'charge, province', of uncertain ultimate origin.