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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

In a first for the show, celebrity and pro pairings were revealed via three dance routines.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

One finance pro compared the sound to a Chinook military transport helicopter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

It found nothing wrong with the practice so long as the benefit was not offered as a quid pro quo to a particular voter.

From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026

Stewart, a second-year pro from Michigan, made six tackles and had one of the Rams’ two hits on 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

When I first started teaching I felt, My God, this must be like being a pro ball player, getting paid for something I love.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

He is a full-time professional wrestler and head coach at the Relentless Pro Wrestling Academy in Larne.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

If you’re looking to save, the 16 Pro or 15 Pro would be affordable alternatives.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

Not bad for something that looks like you could find at Bass Pro Shops, among the tackleboxes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

The 72-year-old was Ronaldo's club boss last season, when the pair helped Al-Nassr win the Saudi Pro League for the first time in seven years.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

“That is a Pyle Pro turntable. With horn. It looks like a vintage phonograph, but plays vinyl, cassette tapes, CDs, and MP3s.”

From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone

The RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell is a useful measuring stick, since it’s sold both to the cloud providers and the companies that would otherwise rent from them.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

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

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

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

During his trip, Mr Macron had meetings with New Caledonian pro- and anti-independence leaders.

From BBC ● May 23, 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

There are some pros, my friend, and a few cons.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

The AI revolution is happening and there are clearly pros and cons to Scotland being at the heart of it.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

Professional investors said the day’s trading was skewed by panic selling and by the decision of many pros to wait until emotions settled.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

He’ll have to wait until college or the pros to show off his hurdling skills in a football uniform.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026

For a few lucky ones, that moment might not come until they were established in the pros.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

Related Words

• ace
• expert
• professional