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• pro
  pro

  adverb

  in favor of a proposition, opinion, etc.
• Pro
  Pro

  abbreviation

  proline.
• PRO
  PRO

  public relations officer.
• pro-
  pro-

  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.

pro

¹ American  

[proh] / proʊ /

adverb

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

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noun

pros plural

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

pros plural

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.

pros plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pros
  plural

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; see also 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; see pro ¹

Explanation

Pro is a Latin root word meaning for. If you make a list of pros and cons, you are listing the reasons for doing something and the reasons not to, respectively. Pro is also the shortened form of the word "professional," often referring to professional sports. If your cousin plays college basketball — and he's really good — he'll have to decide if he is going to turn pro or finish college first. The shortened form isn't always about sports, however. You might handle your little sister's bicycle accident like a pro, cleaning her up, sticking bandages on her knees, and handing her a lollipop.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pro Pro PRO pro- pros

Garrett, a 10th year pro and two-time NFL defensive player of the year, laughed when asked if he was conscious of his aura.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026

They didn’t eliminate it per se, but they turned it into a pro forma, symbolic chamber.

From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2026

Open, where he wound up finishing tied for 23rd as the low amateur, it was time to go pro.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

Prenga, now based in New Jersey, has won 20 pro bouts by knockout and lost once, but the 35-year-old has not faced anyone close to Joshua's level.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

Mary Miller and the Guardian ad Litem Program staff headed the guest list, which also included Martha Cook, who had been my pro bono Attorney ad Litem.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Then they gave up a bevy of picks and Pro Bowl linebacker Jared Verse to pry away Garrett.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Last season, Young recorded a career-best 12 sacks and was voted to the Pro Bowl.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026

Some of the people helped were primary school age children from countries including Hong Kong, Singapore and Germany, taking part in the Pro Corda summer music school.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

Revenue from Ford Pro fell to $17.8 billion from $18.8 billion, reflecting product discontinuation and production disruptions from last year’s fires at a Novelis aluminum-rolling plant.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

“And he’s going to the Pro Football Hall of Fame for sure.”

From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan

The storage company on Monday announced new branding for its solid-state drives, including what are now known as the Optimus GX PRO drives.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 6, 2026

She was one of only three Republicans in the House to vote in favor of the so-called PRO Act, which would significantly strengthen collective bargaining rights.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 4, 2024

Maybe the closest antecedent is a new, $85 million HUD program called “Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing,” or PRO Housing, which this summer issued 17 grants of a few million dollars each.

From Slate ● Sep. 24, 2024

He said in statement that PRO would use “experienced professional match referees supported by veteran VAR officials,” a reference to the video assistant referees.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 17, 2024

"Tush, that was my own private promise, Monsieur; my own private prediction of what would happen; a thing PRO FORMA", and to save Madame Denis's life.

From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 16 by Carlyle, Thomas

His reactions to the sometimes outrageous comments of his interview subjects, be they pro- or anti-wolf, are sphinx-like; he treats everyone with respect, even when they seem to be going for a soundbite.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 16, 2025

Kennedy said the change would improve public trust by ensuring members of the committee didn’t have “any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2025

Both pro- and anti-Hezbollah people tell me these feel surreal.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2024

The scientists identified the specific groups of neurons in the vagus nerve and in the cNST that help detect and control pro- and anti-inflammatory activity.

From Science Daily ● May 1, 2024

They could see the pro- ' cessional clerics busy about the decencies of death, and the twinkling knights standing motionless, and the people’s heads, like baskets of coconuts, round the outside of the square.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

While many HR pros frown on such behavior, some, parents themselves, told me they could understand the impulse.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Scorching summer temperatures have disrupted life for millions of Europeans but for winegrowers in Italy and France, who are harvesting their grapes unusually early, the hot weather offers pros as well as cons.

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

It’s worth noting that Jim Harbaugh got his team to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons, and he has a history of turning around franchises in college football and the pros.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

You already know the pros and cons of your current life.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 12, 2026

Alex casually knocked the dust off his pants, just like the pros did on TV.

From "Eleven" by Tom Rogers

Related Words

• ace
• expert
• professional