professional
Americanadjective
-
following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain.
a professional builder.
-
of, relating to, or connected with a profession.
professional studies.
-
appropriate to a profession.
professional objectivity.
-
engaged in one of the learned professions.
A lawyer is a professional person.
-
following as a business an occupation ordinarily engaged in as a pastime.
a professional golfer.
-
making a business or constant practice of something not properly to be regarded as a business.
“A salesman,” he said, “is a professional optimist.”
-
undertaken or engaged in as a means of livelihood or for gain.
professional baseball.
-
of or for a professional person or their place of business or work.
a professional apartment; professional equipment.
-
done by an expert.
professional car repairs.
noun
-
professionals
plural
-
a person who belongs to one of the professions, especially one of the learned professions.
-
a person who earns a living in a sport or other occupation frequently engaged in by amateurs.
a golf professional.
-
an expert player, as of golf or tennis, serving as a teacher, consultant, performer, or contestant; pro.
-
a person who is expert at some kind of work.
You can tell by her comments that this editor is a real professional.
adjective
-
of, relating to, suitable for, or engaged in as a profession
-
engaging in an activity for gain or as a means of livelihood
-
-
extremely competent in a job, etc
-
(of a piece of work or anything performed) produced with competence or skill
-
-
undertaken or performed for gain or by people who are paid
noun
-
a person who belongs to or engages in one of the professions
-
a person who engages for his livelihood in some activity also pursued by amateurs
-
a person who engages in an activity with great competence
-
an expert player of a game who gives instruction, esp to members of a club by whom he is hired
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of professional
First recorded in 1740–50; profession + -al 1
Explanation
When an athlete "goes pro," she goes professional–-she is paid for her service rather than doing it on an amateur basis. Other professionals, including doctors and lawyers, are also paid for their work, which, we hope, they conduct in a professional manner. In the 15th century, the word profession referred to vows taken upon entering a religious order. A monk or priest professed his faith. Now, the word suggests competence and expertise and even dignity––"He can't ask me to go out for coffee. I'm a vice president. That just wouldn't be professional!"
Vocabulary lists containing professional
Words to Describe Yourself on a Resume
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933–2020) Tribute List
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Mark of Athena
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
As a former athlete who balanced working eight-hour shifts with training before turning professional, she says she has "known fatigue my whole life" and believes the term fails to capture the severity of the illness.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
The company denied Sky’s voice was an imitation of Johansson, saying another professional actor used her own natural speaking voice for it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Consulting a tax professional experienced with Americans living overseas about your personal circumstances is advised.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
Six months later, the trade that could have tanked her professional career has instead served as a reset.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
The past version of us came barreling around the corner, bickering and insulting one another like it was our professional career.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Immigration expert Toshihiro Menju told AFP that Japan is facing a labour shortage on all levels, from highly skilled professionals to service workers.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
“I’d like to take a moment to thank the coroner’s office and the science professionals who brought a name to this victim.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
"This is categorically not teachers' fault. They have been let down by a system that has said, you're the professionals, off you go and sort out everything", says Crehan.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
Cadets should live together, train together and take responsibility for one another under a cadet chain of command supervised by experienced military professionals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
My twin brothers, Rafey and Tariq, are only eight years old, but they pack food like quick-fingered professionals.
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
