1. plural of intendance; the office, authority, or jurisdiction of an intendant (a high-ranking administrative official, especially in France or Spain)
Usage: historical; chiefly used in reference to French and Spanish colonial administration
2. plural of intendance; the system or practice of administration by intendants
Usage: historical

Examples

• The intendances of New Spain were responsible for collecting taxes and maintaining order across vast territories.
• Under the Bourbon reforms, intendances replaced the older system of colonial governance.
• The intendances wielded considerable power in both civil and military matters.
• French intendances in the 18th century served as models for administrative efficiency.
• The establishment of intendances marked a shift toward centralized royal authority in the colonies.