provincialism

[ pruh-vin-shuh-liz-uhm ]

noun

1. narrowness of mind, ignorance, or the like, considered as resulting from lack of exposure to cultural or intellectual activity.
2. a trait, habit of thought, etc., characteristic of a provincial, a province, or the provinces.
3. a word, expression, or mode of pronunciation peculiar to a province.
4. devotion to one's own province before the nation as a whole.

provincialism

/ prəˈvɪnʃəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. narrowness of mind or outlook; lack of sophistication
2. a word or attitude characteristic of a provincial
3. attention to the affairs of one's province rather than the whole nation
4. the state or quality of being provincial

Word History and Origins

Origin of provincialism¹

First recorded in 1760–70; provincial + -ism

Example Sentences

Like the other club members, Benny tends to rack up miles without going anywhere very far, a provincialism that is one of the most American things about them.

From New York Times

Bruce grew up with five siblings in a home tightly circumscribed by T.C.’s paltry salary and the dour provincialism of Simcoe, in the southwest corner of the province, not far from Lake Erie.

From New York Times

“It was a term that he associated with narrow-mindedness, with a certain provincialism,” Dr. Brunsman said.

From New York Times

The more outsiders mocked his Roman accent, dialect-abbreviated grammar and colorful vocabulary for its Roman provincialism, the more he became the city’s human coat of arms.

From New York Times

You can have a provincialism growing up in a poor place.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• accent
• idiom
• jargon
• language
• lingo
• patois
• pronunciation
• slang
• terminology
• tongue
• vernacular
• vocabulary