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What is the difference between county and province?

county | province |

Province is a coordinate term of county.



As nouns the difference between county and province

is that county is the land ruled by a count or a countess while province is a subdivision of government usually one step below the national level; one of ten of Canada's federated entities, recognized by the Constitution and having a separate representative of the Sovereign (compare territory).

As an adjective county

is characteristic of a ‘county family’; representative of the gentry or aristocracy of a county.

As a proper noun province is

northern Ireland.

county

English

Noun

(counties)
  • (historical) The land ruled by a count or a countess.
  • An administrative region of various countries, including Bhutan, Canada, China, Croatia, France, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Serbia and Montenegro and Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.
  • A definitive geographic region, without direct administrative functions.
    • traditional county

    Usage notes

    * In American usage, counties are almost always designated as such, with the word "County" capitalized and following the name — e.g., "Lewis County", rarely "Lewis", and never "County Lewis." * In British usage, counties are referenced without designation — e.g. "Kent" and never "Kent County". The exception is Durham, which is often "County Durham" (but never "Durham County"). An organisation such as Kent County Council is the "County Council" of "Kent" and not the "Council" of "Kent County". * In Irish usage, counties are frequently referenced, but like Durham precede the name — e.g., "County Cork" or "Cork" and never "Cork County."

    Derived terms

    * countyhood * countywide * another county heard from * traditional county

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Characteristic of a ‘county family’; representative of the gentry or aristocracy of a county.
  • *1979 , , Smiley's People , Folio Society 2010, p. 274:
  • *:She was a tall girl and county , with Hilary's walk: she seemed to topple even when she sat.

    • province

    English

    (wikipedia province)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A subdivision of government usually one step below the national level; (Canada) one of ten of Canada's federated entities, recognized by the Constitution and having a separate representative of the Sovereign (compare territory).
  • A territorial area within a country.
  • A jurisdiction; a (literal or figurative) area of authority.

    • Quotations

    * (English Citations of "province")

    Derived terms

    * provincehood * provincewide

    Related terms

    * provincial

    Coordinate terms

    * canton * county * department * oblast * shire * state

    Proper noun

  • (British) Northern Ireland
    • ----