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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

It boasts an acclaimed healthcare system, loads of cultural activities, pro sports teams and a convenient international airport, and its home prices are far below those in most cities with comparable amenities.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

Rocket League pro Samy "dralii" Hajji won a third consecutive EWC victory, while chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen claimed a second title.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

Bennett, a fourth-year pro, displayed and played with confidence throughout training camp and preseason practices.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

Wildlife conservationist Prerna Singh Bindra, who led the pro bono public interest case, told AFP her petition had challenged state governments "supporting horrifically cruel practices".

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026

Leon looked as if he hadn’t spent five minutes in the exercise room since retiring from pro basketball; all that remained of his NBA physique was his height.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen

The 6-foot-3 player was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the 2014 draft and made the Pro Bowl in his second season.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

Case in point: The average price of the company’s top seller, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, rose from $530 in January to $560 in May.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

Pro Football Focus ranked him fourth in a grading system that factors in hang time, directional placement and situational execution.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

“Sustained growth in Pro, Online and Home Services led to our fifth consecutive quarter of positive comp sales, despite pressure in discretionary DIY spending,” Chairman and Chief Executive Marvin Ellison said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

Mrs. Williams replied that she did not wish to at present, given the hostilities; but that Pro Bono desired to as soon as they might.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

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

PRO, with backing from MLS, responded by locking out the referees and using backup officials, many of whom had never worked above the lower levels of U.S. soccer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2024

But if there was one PRO a few years back who managed this with elan, it was Deputy Superintendent of Police Apa Teli.

From Behind the News: Voices from Goa's Press by Various

Calling both pro- and anti-ICE beliefs “deeply American sentiments,” he asked viewers to “find a way to live with people who are genuinely different from us” and to “make things better and keep things decent.”

From Salon ● Jan. 10, 2026

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

He plunged into a series of marathon meetings with local officials, business leaders, and pro- and anti-independence groups.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 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

NOTE.—In a few instances pro- is changed into pur-, as purpose; into por-, as portray; and into pol-, as pollute.

From New Word-Analysis by William Swinton

Between fishing outings and poker games, veteran finance pros shared their fears about the artificial intelligence trade.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

The paradox in the AI trade—investors are questioning the hype even as they pour money in—was everywhere at Camp Kotok, an invite-only weekend getaway for pros from across the finance world.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

"I'm not here to talk about pros and cons. I am here to talk about how to get things done," he is heard saying.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

Winfrey’s influence was, and still is, so potent that marketing pros called the boost in sales following an endorsement “the Oprah Effect.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

My dad really hopes he will make it to the pros and play for the Steelers.

From "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky

Related Words

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