Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

pro-am

American  
[proh-am] / ˈproʊˈæm /

adjective

  1. including both professionals and amateurs.


noun

  1. any sporting event in which professionals play with amateurs.

pro-am British  
/ ˈprəʊˈæm /

adjective

  1. (of a golf tournament, snooker tournament, etc) involving both professional and amateur players

"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

noun

  1. a sporting tournament involving both professional and amateur players

"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

Etymology

Origin of pro-am

1945–50; pro(fessional)-am(ateur)

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.

Trump, for her part, swished a basket from beyond the free-throw line of an outdoor court near the first tee while waiting to begin the pro-am.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 13, 2025

She played nine holes of a pro-am round Monday with tournament host Annika Sorenstam, who empathized with the difficulty of handling an intense swirl of criticism and support.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 13, 2025

Tournament officials noted the boost received when women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark competed in the pro-am event last year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025

McIlroy, competing with father Gerry in this week's pro-am event in Scotland, will play on Friday at Kingsbarns alongside PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, who is paired with Billy Horschel this week.

From BBC • Oct. 2, 2024

Yet less than two years after Mrs. Leep left him, Leon surprised everyone by getting engaged to a woman he met at a celebrity pro-am golf tournament.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "pro-am" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com