Dictionary

providence en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈpɹɒvɪdəns/ (UK)
• /ˈpɹɑvɪdəns/ (US)

Etymology

From Middle English providence, from Anglo-Norman providence, Middle French providence, and their source, Latin prōvidentia (“providence, foresight”), from the present participle of prōvidēre (“to provide”). By surface analysis, provide + -ence. Displaced native Old English foresċēawung.

Meanings

1. (archaic, countable, uncountable) Preparation for the future; good governance; foresight.
2. (countable, uncountable) The careful governance and guidance of God (or another deity, nature, etc.).
   • Constraining the area of a UAS’ operation does not provide protection to the public when there is no guarantee that a UA will remain within these confines. In this case the UA entered controlled airspace used by commercial aircraft and it could have crashed in a nearby densely populated area or at a large public event, both with a high potential for fatalities. As there was no control or influence over where it crashed, it was only down to providence that it crashed in a field 40 m away from occupied houses. 2021 February 18, Air Accidents Investigation Branch, “Public Safety”, in AAIB investigation to Alauda Airspeeder Mk II, (UAS, registration n/a) 040719, archived from the original on 19 Sep 2023:
   • WHEREAS it is expedient to amend the law relating to the government of Her Majesty’s Navy, whereon, under the good Providence of God, the wealth, safety and strength of the Kingdom so much depend: 1957, Parliament of the United Kingdom, “Preamble”, in Naval Discipline Act 1957, page 1:
3. (countable, uncountable) A manifestation of divine care or direction; an instance of divine intervention.
   • The idea was that a complete list of fully documented providences should be compiled as a cooperative venture which would cross denominational barriers. 1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society, published 2012, page 91:
4. (countable, uncountable) Specifically, the prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness, frugality.
   • His providence in saving for his old age is exemplary.

Forms

Deriveds

improvidence · unprovidenced · Lake Providence · Providence Portal

Relateds

provident · divine

Translations (65)

ru предусмотри́тельность (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · cs obezřetnost (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · cmn 天意 (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · ga fadcheann (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · sv försyn (manifestation of divine care or direction) · sv försyn (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · bg пестеливост (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · fi kaitselmus (manifestation of divine care or direction) · ko 섭리 (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · pt providência (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · pt providência (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · el ορθολογικά (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · ru провиде́ние (manifestation of divine care or direction) · sh provídnōst (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · de Vorsehung (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · de Umsicht (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · de Fügung (manifestation of divine care or direction) · hu gondviselés (manifestation of divine care or direction) · tl probidensiya (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · it provvidenza (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · gv ard-chiarailys (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · ru провиде́ние (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · fi sallimus (manifestation of divine care or direction) · uk передба́чливість (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · pdt Väarot (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · es providencia (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · gv ard-chiarailys (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · mk провидение (manifestation of divine care or direction) · pt providência (manifestation of divine care or direction) · bg провидение (manifestation of divine care or direction) · hy նախախնամություն (manifestation of divine care or direction) · mk провидение (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · es providencia (manifestation of divine care or direction) · sh прови́дно̄ст (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · ang foresċēawung (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · it provvidenza (manifestation of divine care or direction) · gv ard-chiarail (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · cmn 眷顾 (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · cmn 眷顧 /眷顾 (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · ota قضا (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · fi kaukokatseisuus (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · de Vorsorge (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · hy նախախնամություն (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · es providencia (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · cs prozřetelnost (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · fi kaitselmus (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · tr takdiriilahi (manifestation of divine care or direction) · cs opatrnost (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness) · fi johdatus (manifestation of divine care or direction) · bg провидение (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · nl voorzienigheid (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · gv ard-chiarail (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · ja 摂理 (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · it provvidenza (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · fi johdatus (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · uk провиді́ння (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · hu gondviselés (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · el πρόνοια (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · sv försyn (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · fi sallimus (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · ang foresċēawung (manifestation of divine care or direction) · fr providence (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · pl opatrzność (careful guardianship exercised by a deity) · ota قضا (manifestation of divine care or direction) · mk проми́сленост (prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness)