Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Related Topic Clusters

Professional Email and Tone Control

Phrase libraries for clearer, faster, and lower-friction professional communication.

Professional

//pɹəˈfɛʃ.ə.nəl// adj, noun

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Of, pertaining to, or in accordance with the (usually high) standards of a profession.

    "His forefathers had been, as a rule, professional men—physicians and lawyers; his grandfather died under the walls of Chapultepec Castle while twisting a tourniquet for a cursing dragoon; an uncle remained indefinitely at Malvern Hill;[…]."

  2. 2
    That is carried out for money, especially as a livelihood.
  3. 3
    Expert. broadly
Adjective
  1. 1
    engaged in a profession or engaging in as a profession or means of livelihood wordnet
  2. 2
    characteristic of or befitting a profession or one engaged in a profession wordnet
  3. 3
    engaged in by members of a profession wordnet
  4. 4
    of or relating to a profession wordnet
  5. 5
    of or relating to or suitable as a profession wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    A person who belongs to a profession.
  2. 2
    an authority qualified to teach apprentices wordnet
  3. 3
    A person who earns their living from a specified activity.

    "My son, a Canada-based IT professional who often travels to Ukraine, told me about the exhilarating atmosphere on those Ukraine-bound trains, bringing home hundreds of the unwilling refugees, mostly women and children (including the babies, born in exile on the way to meet their Ukrainian fighter fathers for the first time). The difference between Ukrainian refugees and other reluctant exiles is that Ukrainians are desperate to return."

  4. 4
    a person engaged in one of the learned professions wordnet
  5. 5
    A prostitute. euphemistic

    "There was this nice lady who flirted with me at the bar, but it turned out that she was a professional."

Show 4 more definitions
  1. 6
    an athlete who plays for pay wordnet
  2. 7
    A reputation known by name.
  3. 8
    An expert.

    "I have learned that there is a person attached to a golf club called a professional. Find out who fills that post at the Green Meadow Club; […] invite the professional, urgently, to dine with us this evening."

  4. 9
    One of four categories of sociologist propounded by Horowitz: a sociologist who is actively concerned with promoting the profession of sociology.

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English professhennalle, professhynalle; equivalent to profession + -al.

Etymology 2

From Middle English professhennalle, professhynalle; equivalent to profession + -al.

See also for "professional"

Synonyms Antonyms Rhymes Sentences Translate Word Type Pronunciation Word Forms

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: professional