parochial
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or financially supported by one or more church parishes.
parochial churches in Great Britain.
-
of or relating to parochial schools or the education they provide.
-
very limited or narrow in scope or outlook; provincial.
parochial views; a parochial mentality.
adjective
-
narrow in outlook or scope; provincial
-
of or relating to a parish or parishes
Other Word Forms
- interparochial adjective
- interparochially adverb
- interparochialness noun
- nonparochial adjective
- nonparochially adverb
- parochialism noun
- parochiality noun
- parochially adverb
- parochialness noun
- semiparochial adjective
- unparochial adjective
- unparochially adverb
Etymology
Origin of parochial
1350–1400; late Middle English parochialle < Late Latin parochiālis ( parish, -al 1 ); replacing Middle English parochiele < Anglo-French parochiel < Late Latin as above
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His main example to demonstrate this on the right, as far as I can tell, is voucher systems, charter networks and parochial institutions.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026
Negro has twice been named national coach of the year by Max Preps, leading the Bellflower parochial school to a record of 177-30 in 16 seasons, winning four CIF State championships and two national titles.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026
The outbreak, predictably, was especially bad in private and parochial schools with high numbers of unvaccinated students.
From Slate • Dec. 9, 2025
Instead it said "most gangs in the Caribbean" were "typically parochial, and focused instead on protecting their territory".
From BBC • Sep. 7, 2025
On the far right was the scout who recruited for an athletically high-powered parochial school.
From "Shelter (Book One): A Mickey Bolitar Novel" by Harlan Coben
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
