Meaning & use
provincial
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Relating to a province or to areas outside the capital city.
Grammar: Used before a noun: provincial government, provincial capital.
Patterns
- provincial government
- provincial capital
- provincial election
The provincial government announced new funding for rural schools.
She moved from the provincial capital to the coast for work.
Provincial elections will be held in June.
adjectivenot comparabledisapproving
Having narrow interests and a limited, unsophisticated outlook.
Grammar: Often used to criticize someone's attitudes; not usually used with 'more' or 'most'.
Patterns
- provincial attitude
- provincial outlook
- seem provincial
His provincial attitude made it hard for him to appreciate foreign customs.
The novel mocks the provincial outlook of the small town.
They found the city's art scene surprisingly provincial.
Common combinations
- provincial government
- The provincial government is responsible for education.
- provincial capital
- The provincial capital is the largest city in the region.
- provincial election
- Voters will go to the polls in the provincial election next month.
- provincial outlook
- Travel can broaden a provincial outlook.
Synonyms and how they differ
- regional
- Regional simply means relating to a region and is neutral; provincial often suggests a contrast with the capital or a lack of sophistication.
- parochial
- Parochial is stronger and more disapproving, suggesting an extremely limited scope, often in religious or local matters.
- narrow-minded
- Narrow-minded focuses on unwillingness to accept different ideas, while provincial emphasizes limited experience or culture.
Opposites
Word family
- province noun
- A large area of a country with its own local government.
- provincialism noun
- The quality of being provincial; narrowness of outlook.
- provinciality noun
- The state of being provincial.
Commonly confused: provincial or providence?
provincial vs providence
Providence means divine care or good fortune; provincial relates to a province or narrow views.
Practice
The small town's ____ attitudes made newcomers feel unwelcome.
Choose one answer.
The adjective 'provincial' describes the attitudes. 'Province' is a noun, 'provincially' is an adverb, and 'provincialism' is a noun, so none fit before the noun 'attitudes'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “provincial”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.