pro

¹ American  

[proh] / proʊ /

adverb

1. in favor of a proposition, opinion, etc.

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noun

plural

pros

1. a proponent of an issue; a person who upholds the affirmative in a debate.

2. an argument, consideration, vote, etc., for something.

pro ² American  

[proh] / proʊ /

adjective

1. professional.

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noun

plural

pros

1. a professional.

2. the pros, the professional athletic leagues, as of football, baseball, or basketball.

   He's sure to be signed by the pros.

pro ³ American  

[proh] / proʊ /

noun

Slang.

plural

pros

1. prophylactic.

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pro ⁴ American  

[proh] / proʊ /

preposition

Latin.

1. for.

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Pro ⁵ American  

abbreviation

Biochemistry.

1. proline.

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PRO ⁶ American  

Or P.R.O.

1. public relations officer.

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pro- ⁷ American  

1. a prefix indicating favor for some party, system, idea, etc., without identity with the group (pro-British; pro-Communist; proslavery ), having anti- as its opposite.

2. a prefix of priority in space or time having especially a meaning of advancing or projecting forward or outward, and also used to indicate substitution, attached widely to stems not used as words.

   provision; prologue; proceed; produce; protract; procathedral; proconsul.

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pro- ⁸ American  

1. a prefix identical in meaning with pro-1 , occurring in words borrowed from Greek (prodrome ) or formed of Greek (and occasionally Latin) elements.

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pro ¹ British  

/ prəʊ /

adverb

1. in favour of a motion, issue, course of action, etc Compare anti

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preposition

1. in favour of

noun

1. (usually plural) an argument or vote in favour of a proposal or motion See also pros and cons

2. (usually plural) a person who votes in favour of a proposal, motion, etc

pro ² British  

/ prəʊ /

noun

1. informal short for professional

2. slang a prostitute

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abbreviation

1. professional practitioner

adjective

1. informal short for professional

PRO ³ British  

abbreviation

1. Public Records Office

2. public relations officer

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pro- ⁴ British  

prefix

1. in favour of; supporting

   pro-Chinese

2. acting as a substitute for

   proconsul

   pronoun

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pro- ⁵ British  

prefix

1. before in time or position; anterior; forward

   prophase

   procephalic

   prognathous

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Etymology

Origin of pro¹

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English, from Latin prō (preposition) “in favor of, on behalf of,” akin to Greek pró, Sanskrit pra; for, per ( def. )

Origin of pro²

First recorded in 1840–50; by shortening

Origin of pro³

First recorded in 1945–50; by shortening

Origin of pro-⁷

< Latin prō-, pro-, combining form representing prō pro ¹

Origin of pro-⁸

< Greek, combining form of pró for, before; pro ¹

Example Sentences

Michelle Pfeiffer pays her mother, an ex-Hooters waitress, and Nick Offerman plays her dad, a former pro wrestler.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

He has boxed just 26 rounds in his pro career - and many of those were cut short.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Stadium decisions take on outsize influence because pro sports fans have abiding loyalties.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Gil found a Santa Fe firm and got legal help pro bono.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

“It’s pro and con. So you should go first.”

From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia

Related Words

• ace
• expert
• professional