Definition

1. Noun:
   • A principal administrative division of a country: A "province" is a major territorial unit within a nation, often with its own local government.
   • A sphere of activity, knowledge, or responsibility: "Province" can also refer to the proper scope or domain of a person's work, authority, or expertise.

Examples

• Noun (Administrative Division):

  • British Columbia is a province of Canada.
  • The country is divided into twelve provinces and one capital region.

• Noun (Sphere of Activity):

  • The technical details are outside my province; you should ask an engineer.
  • It was her province to manage the household budget.

Advanced Usage

• "within one's province": within the area of one's responsibility or expertise.
  • Making that decision is well within the province of the committee chair.
• "the provinces": (often used collectively) all parts of a country outside the capital city.
  • The new fashion trend started in the capital before spreading to the provinces.

Variants and Related Words

• Provincial (adj): relating to a province or the provinces; often implying a lack of sophistication associated with areas outside the capital.
  • She moved from a provincial town to the bustling capital.
• Provincially (adv): in a provincial manner; by or in the provinces.
  • The program is funded provincially.

Synonyms

• Region: a large, usually continuous part of a surface or space.
• Domain: a specified sphere of activity or knowledge.
• Jurisdiction: the official power to make legal decisions and judgments; the territory over which this power applies.

Related Phrases

• Province of: used to specify a particular area of responsibility.
  • The province of foreign policy belongs to the federal government.

Noun

1. the proper sphere or extent of your activities
   • it was his province to take care of himself
2. the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
   • his state is in the deep south