professional
Americanadjective
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following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain.
a professional builder.
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of, relating to, or connected with a profession.
professional studies.
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appropriate to a profession.
professional objectivity.
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engaged in one of the learned professions.
A lawyer is a professional person.
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following as a business an occupation ordinarily engaged in as a pastime.
a professional golfer.
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making a business or constant practice of something not properly to be regarded as a business.
“A salesman,” he said, “is a professional optimist.”
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undertaken or engaged in as a means of livelihood or for gain.
professional baseball.
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of or for a professional person or their place of business or work.
a professional apartment; professional equipment.
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done by an expert.
professional car repairs.
noun
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professionals
plural
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a person who belongs to one of the professions, especially one of the learned professions.
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a person who earns a living in a sport or other occupation frequently engaged in by amateurs.
a golf professional.
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an expert player, as of golf or tennis, serving as a teacher, consultant, performer, or contestant; pro.
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a person who is expert at some kind of work.
You can tell by her comments that this editor is a real professional.
adjective
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of, relating to, suitable for, or engaged in as a profession
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engaging in an activity for gain or as a means of livelihood
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extremely competent in a job, etc
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(of a piece of work or anything performed) produced with competence or skill
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undertaken or performed for gain or by people who are paid
noun
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a person who belongs to or engages in one of the professions
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a person who engages for his livelihood in some activity also pursued by amateurs
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a person who engages in an activity with great competence
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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
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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:
When you’re a professional pirate, that’s what the job’s about.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
The 18-year-old left Chelsea in September 2024 to join the Reds and signed his first professional contract a year later.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
“Not that many people want coffee table art books,” said Margit Novack, founding president of the National Association of Senior and Specialty Move Managers, a professional group helping older adults organize, declutter, downsize and relocate.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
Whilst there is no standard practice for organising international professional friendlies, smaller African teams generally rely on agencies to manage their away fixtures and don't necessarily make any profit from the games.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
“I think Mira needs real nurses,” Ivy said, as if offering a professional opinion.
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Full-body scans have also faced criticism from some healthcare professionals, who warn that the technology risks false positives, overdiagnoses, and unnecessary testing and anxiety.
From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2026
There’s an industry of professionals who may be able to help you decide which items to get rid of and where they might go.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
Seven medical professionals have been on trial since April over Maradona's death in 2020 while convalescing after surgery.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
The Crow runs a stand-up comedy camp for 7-12-year-olds, a six-week intensive tween program and a showcase called “The Kids Are Fine, Not Great” that pairs college comics and professionals.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
The strongest evidence of the progress Langleys women were making in the early postwar years came when one of its most visible female professionals reached the end of the road.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
Definitions 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.
