What does "province" mean?
A region of the earth or of a continent; a district or country.
Province
/ˈpɹɑv.ɪns/ name, noun
name, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A region of the earth or of a continent; a district or country.
- Grammar: province is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: academic discipline, academic specialty, administrative division, aeolia.
- Useful contrasts: country, irrelevant field, nation.
- Usage evidence: The province supplies its neighbors with various raw materials.
How to use "province"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "province" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "province" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "province" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "province" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "province" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "academic discipline" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "province", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A region of the earth or of a continent; a district or country.
"[…] we should find, as we do find, some groups of beings greatly, and some only slightly modified,—[…]—in the different great geographical provinces of the world."
- 2 the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation wordnet
- 3 An administrative subdivision of certain countries, including Canada and China.
"Chowta-Zhin, who is ſaid to be a man of buſineſs and preciſion, and cautious of advancing facts, at the requeſt of Earl Macartney, delivered to him a ſtatement taken from one of the public officers in the capitol, of the inhabitants of the fifteen ancient provinces of China, or China proper, within the great wall ; according to which the number of inhabitants, taken by a regular enumeration, amounts to 333,000,000!"
- 4 the proper sphere or extent of your activities wordnet
- 5 An area outside Italy which is administered by a Roman governor or prefect. Ancient-Rome, Roman-Empire, historical
"He reminded his audience of events in 88BC, when the same Mithridates invaded the Roman province of Asia, on the western coast of Turkey."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 An area under the jurisdiction of an archbishop, typically comprising a number of adjacent dioceses.
"In 1309, neither the Archbishop of Canterbury nor his suffragans would attend in Parliament while the Archbishop of York had the cross borne erect before him in the province of Canterbury."
- 7 An area under the jurisdiction of a provincial within a monastic order.
- 8 The parts of a country outside its national capital. in-plural, with-definite-article
"To-day the first part of the new Indian Constitution comes into force with the granting of a large measure of autonomy to the provinces."
- 9 A major region defined by common geologic attributes and history.
- 10 An area of activity, responsibility or knowledge; the proper concern of a particular person or concept.
"More than half a million women are now employed on the railways of the Soviet Union, and some of them perform such duties as those of engine drivers and stationmasters, formerly considered the sole province of men."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The province supplies its neighbors with various raw materials."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "province"?
Common synonyms include: academic discipline, academic specialty, administrative division, aeolia, agricultural region, ally.
How do you use "province" in a sentence?
The province supplies its neighbors with various raw materials.
How do you pronounce "province"?
Pronounced /ˈpɹɑv.ɪns/.
Etymology
From Middle English provynce, from Anglo-Norman province, Old French province, from Latin prōvincia, seemingly corresponding to prō- and vinciō. Replaced Old English boldġetæl.