province
noun
prov·ince
ˈprä-vən(t)s 
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
Choose the Right Synonym for province
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
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
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
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
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
This east-central province borders the United States and the Great Lakes and is the perfect place for a November weekend getaway, road trip, or Christmas market adventure.
—Miriam Porter, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
The Great Wall runs from the Korean Peninsula all the way past Beijing and into the northwestern Gansu province.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024
The bomb, which was attached to a motorcycle, exploded near a motorized rickshaw that was carrying schoolchildren in Mastung, a district in Balochistan province, according to local police chief Fateh Mohammad.
—Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Earlier Thursday, the typhoon’s eye blew about 110 kilometers (68 miles) east of the northernmost Philippine province of Batanes, a cluster of islands and islets of about 19,000 people.
—Associated Press, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for province 
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Miriam Porter, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
The Great Wall runs from the Korean Peninsula all the way past Beijing and into the northwestern Gansu province.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024
The bomb, which was attached to a motorcycle, exploded near a motorized rickshaw that was carrying schoolchildren in Mastung, a district in Balochistan province, according to local police chief Fateh Mohammad.
—Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Earlier Thursday, the typhoon’s eye blew about 110 kilometers (68 miles) east of the northernmost Philippine province of Batanes, a cluster of islands and islets of about 19,000 people.
—Associated Press, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for province
Articles Related to province
Dictionary Entries Near province
Cite this Entry
“Province.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/province. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
province
noun
prov·ince
ˈpräv-ən(t)s
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
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