/prov"ins/ , n.
1. an administrative division or unit of a country.
2. the provinces ,
a. the parts of a country outside of the capital or the largest cities.
b. (in England) all parts of the country outside of London.
3. a country, territory, district, or region.
4. Geog. See physiographic province .
5. a department or branch of learning or activity: the province of mathematics.
6. sphere or field of activity or authority, as of a person; office, function, or business: Such decisions do not lie within his province.
7. a major subdivision of British India.
8. an ecclesiastical territorial division, as that within which an archbishop or a metropolitan exercises jurisdiction.
9. Hist.
a. any of the North American colonies now forming major administrative divisions of Canada.
b. any of certain colonies of Great Britain which are now part of the U.S.
10. Rom. Hist. a country or territory outside of Italy, brought under the ancient Roman dominion and administered by a governor sent from Rome.
11. Mining. an individual mineral-producing area.
[ 1300-50; ME provincia province, official charge ]
Syn. 5. area.