prose

[ prohz ]
See synonyms for prose on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the ordinary form of spoken or written language, without metrical structure, as distinguished from poetry or verse.

  2. matter-of-fact, commonplace, or dull expression, quality, discourse, etc.

  1. Liturgy. a hymn sung after the gradual, originating from a practice of setting words to the jubilatio of the alleluia.

adjective
  1. of, in, or pertaining to prose.

  2. commonplace; dull; prosaic.

verb (used with object),prosed, pros·ing.
  1. to turn into or express in prose.

verb (used without object),prosed, pros·ing.
  1. to write or talk in a dull, matter-of-fact manner.

Origin of prose

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin prōsa (ōrātiō), literally, “straightforward (speech),” feminine of prōsus, prōrsus, contraction of prōversus “turned forward,” past participle of prōvertere “to turn forward,” equivalent to prō- pro-1 + vertere “to turn”

Other words from prose

  • proselike, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for prose

prose

/ (prəʊz) /


noun
  1. spoken or written language as in ordinary usage, distinguished from poetry by its lack of a marked metrical structure

  2. a passage set for translation into a foreign language

  1. commonplace or dull discourse, expression, etc

  2. RC Church a hymn recited or sung after the gradual at Mass

  3. (modifier) written in prose

  4. (modifier) matter-of-fact

verb
  1. to write or say (something) in prose

  2. (intr) to speak or write in a tedious style

Origin of prose

1
C14: via Old French from Latin phrase prōsa ōrātiō straightforward speech, from prorsus prosaic, from prōvertere to turn forwards, from pro- 1 + vertere to turn

Derived forms of prose

  • proselike, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012