province

noun

prov·​ince ˈprä-vən(t)s How to pronounce province (audio)
Synonyms of provincenext
1
a
: a country or region brought under the control of the ancient Roman government
b
: an administrative district or division of a country
c
provinces plural : all of a country except the metropolises
2
a
: a division of a country forming the jurisdiction of an archbishop or metropolitan
b
: a territorial unit of a religious order
3
a
: a biogeographic division of less rank than a region
b
: an area that exhibits essential continuity of geologic history
also : one characterized by particular structural or petrological features
4
a
: proper or appropriate function or scope : sphere
that question is outside my province
b
: a department of knowledge or activity

Synonyms of province

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function, office, duty, province mean the acts or operations expected of a person or thing.

function implies a definite end or purpose or a particular kind of work.

the function of language is two-fold: to communicate emotion and to give information —Aldous Huxley

office is typically applied to the function or service associated with a trade or profession or a special relationship to others.

they exercise the offices of the judge, the priest, the counsellor —W. E. Gladstone

duty applies to a task or responsibility imposed by one's occupation, rank, status, or calling.

it is the judicial duty of the court, to examine the whole case —R. B. Taney

province applies to a function, office, or duty that naturally or logically falls to one.

I felt it was not my province to inquire —Anne Brontë

Examples of province in a Sentence

They left the city for life in the provinces. a legal question outside the doctor's province
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Kamin Jan, a former interior ministry employee deported from Iran, was shot dead in Takhar province in October 2025, just weeks after he was expelled from Iran. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 31 Aug. 2026 Efforts to bring the outbreak under control — from limited public gatherings to social distancing and airport closures — have disrupted life in the six provinces, particularly Ituri, which also has been ravaged by rebel violence. — Constant Same Bagalwa, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 The body of water, which straddles the US-Canada border, gave its name to the Canadian province rather than the other way around. — ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026 The lake borders New York state and the Canadian province of Ontario. — Eve Chen, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for province

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin provincia

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of province was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

providore
province
Provincetown
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Province.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/province. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

province

noun
prov·​ince ˈpräv-ən(t)s How to pronounce province (audio)
1
a
: a country or region brought under the control of the ancient Roman government
b
: a usually large division of a country having its own government
Canadian provinces
c
plural : all of a country except the chief cities
2
: the jurisdiction of an archbishop or metropolitan
3
: proper or appropriate business or area of skill, knowledge, or interest
a legal question outside the physician's province

More from Merriam-Webster on province

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about province

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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