Provincial — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective /prə-ˈvin(t)-shəl/ pro·vin·cial

Meaning & Definition of Provincial

Provincial (noun)

  1. the superior of a province of a Roman Catholic religious order
  2. one living in or coming from a province
  3. a person of local or restricted interests or outlook

Provincial (adjective)

  1. of, relating to, or coming from a province
  2. limited in outlook, narrow
  3. lacking the polish of urban society, unsophisticated

Provincial (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. not broad or open in views or opinions

    "some people regard a fear of new things as an unmistakable sign of a provincial attitude"

    similar: illiberal, insular, Lilliputian, little, narrow, narrow-minded, parochial, petty, picayune, sectarian, small, small-minded
    related: inflexible, ironbound, obdurate, obstinate, rigid, set, stubborn, unyielding, wrongheaded, bigoted, intolerant, biased, discriminating, discriminatory, jaundiced, one-sided, partial, partisan, prejudiced, brassbound, hidebound, old-fashioned, reactionary, stodgy, straitlaced, stuffy, dogmatic, opinionated, opinionative, limited, hick, unsophisticated
    opposite: broad-minded, catholic, cosmopolitan, liberal, open, open-minded, receptive, tolerant
    near: impartial, nonpartisan, objective, unbiased, unprejudiced, freethinking

Provincial (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an awkward or simple person especially from a small town or the country

    "the confidence man figured that fleecing these provincials would be easy"

    similar: bumpkin, chawbacon, churl, clodhopper, cornball, countryman, hayseed, hick, rube, rustic, yokel
    related: boor, clod, clown, gawk, lout, oaf, greenhorn, tenderfoot, peasant, peon, backwoodsman, mountaineer
    opposite: cosmopolitan, cosmopolite, sophisticate
    near: slicker, smoothy, metropolitan, suburbanite, urbanite

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Provincial

The most common words with a similar meaning to Provincial:

illiberal, insular, Lilliputian, little, narrow, narrow-minded, parochial, petty, picayune, sectarian, small, small-minded, bumpkin, chawbacon, churl, clodhopper, cornball, countryman, hayseed, hick, rube, rustic, yokel

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Provincial

Words with the opposite meaning of Provincial:

broad-minded, catholic, cosmopolitan, liberal, open, open-minded, receptive, tolerant, cosmopolite, sophisticate

Related Words for Provincial

inflexible, ironbound, obdurate, obstinate, rigid, set, stubborn, unyielding, wrongheaded, bigoted, intolerant, biased, discriminating, discriminatory, jaundiced, one-sided, partial, partisan, prejudiced, brassbound, hidebound, old-fashioned, reactionary, stodgy, straitlaced, stuffy, dogmatic, opinionated, opinionative, limited

Near Antonyms of Provincial

impartial, nonpartisan, objective, unbiased, unprejudiced, freethinking, slicker, smoothy, metropolitan, suburbanite, urbanite

Word Forms of Provincial

Derived words: provincially (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Provincial

in sense 1, from Middle English, from Anglo-French or Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin provincialis, from provincia ecclesiastical province; in other senses, from Latin provincialis, from provincia province

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Provincial

Words & Phrases Containing Provincial

French provincial, interprovincial

Frequently Asked Questions about Provincial

What does "Provincial" mean?

"Provincial" means the superior of a province of a Roman Catholic religious order. As an a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: the superior of a province of a Roman Catholic religious order. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Provincial"?

Other words for "Provincial" include illiberal, insular, Lilliputian, little, narrow, narrow-minded, parochial and petty. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Provincial" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Provincial"?

There are 66 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Provincial". Common alternatives include illiberal, insular, Lilliputian, little, narrow, narrow-minded, parochial, petty, picayune and sectarian.

What is the opposite of "Provincial"?

Antonyms of "Provincial" include broad-minded, catholic, cosmopolitan, liberal, open, open-minded, receptive and tolerant. Near antonyms include impartial, nonpartisan, objective and unbiased.

How do you use "Provincial" in a sentence?

Examples of "Provincial" in a sentence: "some people regard a fear of new things as an unmistakable sign of a provincial attitude"; "the confidence man figured that fleecing these provincials would be easy".

Is "Provincial" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Provincial" can be used as a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Provincial" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Provincial" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Provincial"?

"Provincial" is pronounced /prə-ˈvin(t)-shəl/ and divided into syllables as pro·vin·cial.