ENGLISH
REFERENCE

provincial

n.
C1 Advanced Oxford US //pɹəˈvɪnʃəɫ// UK //pɹəvˈɪnʃəl// pro·vin·cial Archaic

n. belonging to a small town or a specific region rather than a big city. It often describes someone who has narrow interests or does not know much about the rest of the world.

n. relating to the regions outside of a capital city; often used pejoratively to describe a narrowness of mind or lack of sophistication.


SIMPLE

The local newspaper focuses on provincial news and events.

CONTEXTUAL

After living in the capital for a decade, he found the small-town attitudes of his relatives rather provincial.

COMPLEX

The author explores the tension between cosmopolitan ambitions and the stifling, provincial expectations of a rural community in the late nineteenth century.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English provincial, from Old French provincial, from Latin prōvinciālis (“of a province”), equivalent to province + -ial.

Usage

Commonly used as a pejorative to imply a lack of cultural polish or global awareness.

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