Province

prov′ins, n. a portion of an empire or a state marked off for purposes of government: a part of a country as distinguished from the capital: the district over which a governor or an archbishop has jurisdiction: a region: a busine or duty: a person's busine or calling: a department of knowledge.— adj. Provin′cial , relating to a province: belonging to a division of a country: local: showing the habits and manners of a province: unpolished: narrow.— n. an inhabitant of a province or country district: ( R.C. ) the superintendent of the heads of the religious houses in a province.— v.t. Provin′cialise , to render provincial:— pr.p. provin′cialīsing; pa.p. provin′cialīsed. — ns. Provin′cialism , a manner, a mode of speech, or a turn of thought peculiar to a province or a country district: a local expre ion: narrowne ; Provincial′ity .— adv. Provin′cially .— Provincial letters , a series of letters written (1656-57) by Pascal against the doctrines and policy of the Jesuits. [Fr.,—L. provincia , a province; perh. pro , for, vincĕre , to conquer.]