province

noun

prov·​ince ˈprä-vən(t)s How to pronounce province (audio)
1
a
: a country or region brought under the control of the ancient Roman government
b
: an administrative district or division of a country
c
provinces plural : all of a country except the metropolises
2
a
: a division of a country forming the jurisdiction of an archbishop or metropolitan
b
: a territorial unit of a religious order
3
a
: a biogeographic division of less rank than a region
b
: an area that exhibits essential continuity of geologic history
also : one characterized by particular structural or petrological features
4
a
: proper or appropriate function or scope : sphere
that question is outside my province
b
: a department of knowledge or activity
Choose the Right Synonym for province

function, office, duty, province mean the acts or operations expected of a person or thing.

function implies a definite end or purpose or a particular kind of work.

the function of language is two-fold: to communicate emotion and to give information Aldous Huxley

office is typically applied to the function or service associated with a trade or profession or a special relationship to others.

they exercise the offices of the judge, the priest, the counsellor W. E. Gladstone

duty applies to a task or responsibility imposed by one's occupation, rank, status, or calling.

it is the judicial duty of the court, to examine the whole case R. B. Taney

province applies to a function, office, or duty that naturally or logically falls to one.

I felt it was not my province to inquire Anne Brontë

Examples of province in a Sentence

They left the city for life in the provinces. a legal question outside the doctor's province
Recent Examples on the Web Attendance at a province’s session can be a stamp of approval for the local party chief and their approach. Christian Shepherd, Washington Post, 4 Mar. 2024 Though the price of wheat flour has decreased almost 30% year over year, shortages of bread have been ongoing for months in provinces like Guantanamo and Sancti Spiritus, prompting the local governments to partner with private enterprises that can buy the flour abroad. Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024 The burials are located in a region once known as the Roman province of Moesia. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Feb. 2024 The remains of the man shot inside the garage are thought to still be in Alicante province under the supervision of forensic examiners. Victoria Butenko, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024 Unlike Ataturk, who came from the Ottoman Empire’s European provinces, Erdogan hails from Anatolia; his political base consists of pious Anatolians, many of whom never fully adopted Ataturk’s radically secularist project. Soner Cagaptay, Foreign Affairs, 19 Feb. 2024 The salad kits were sold in major retailers like Walmart and Costco in over 20 states—including California, Florida, Georgia, New York and Washington state—and five Canadian provinces. Arianna Johnson, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024 Both sides see Avdiivka as key to Russia gaining full control of Donetsk and Luhansk provinces and as a gateway to Donetsk city, residential areas of which have been shelled by Ukraine, sometimes from Avdiivka, Russian officials say. Reuters, NBC News, 15 Feb. 2024 There are no known insurgent groups operating in that province, home to the Bakhtiari, a branch of Iran's Lur ethnic group. Jon Gambrell The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'province.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin provincia

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of province was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near province

Cite this Entry

“Province.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/province. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

province

noun
prov·​ince ˈpräv-ən(t)s How to pronounce province (audio)
1
a
: a country or region brought under the control of the ancient Roman government
b
: a usually large division of a country having its own government
Canadian provinces
c
plural : all of a country except the chief cities
2
: the jurisdiction of an archbishop or metropolitan
3
: proper or appropriate business or area of skill, knowledge, or interest
a legal question outside the physician's province

More from Merriam-Webster on province

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