ENGLISH
REFERENCE

province

n. countable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈpɹɑvəns// UK //pɹˈɒvɪns// prov·ince Archaic

n. a large area or region that a country is divided into for government. It is similar to a state in the US or a county in the UK.

n. a principal administrative division of a country or empire. Often used metaphorically to describe a particular field of activity or area of knowledge.


SIMPLE

She lives in a small town in the northern province.

CONTEXTUAL

The central government recently granted more power to each province to manage its own healthcare budget.

COMPLEX

While the coastal cities are thriving hubs of international trade, the inland provinces remain largely agricultural and dependent on traditional farming methods.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English provynce, from Anglo-Norman province, Old French province, from Latin prōvincia, seemingly corresponding to prō- and vinciō. Replaced Old English boldġetæl.

Usage

Commonly used with 'of' when describing a field of expertise ('the province of experts').

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