professional

[pruh-fesh-uh-nl]

adjective

1. following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain.

   a professional builder.

2. of, relating to, or connected with a profession.

   professional studies.

3. appropriate to a profession.

   professional objectivity.

4. engaged in one of the learned professions.

   A lawyer is a professional person.

5. following as a business an occupation ordinarily engaged in as a pastime.

   a professional golfer.

6. making a business or constant practice of something not properly to be regarded as a business.

   “A salesman,” he said, “is a professional optimist.”

7. undertaken or engaged in as a means of livelihood or for gain.

   professional baseball.

8. of or for a professional person or their place of business or work.

   a professional apartment; professional equipment.

9. done by an expert.

   professional car repairs.

noun

1. a person who belongs to one of the professions, especially one of the learned professions.

2. a person who earns a living in a sport or other occupation frequently engaged in by amateurs.

   a golf professional.

3. an expert player, as of golf or tennis, serving as a teacher, consultant, performer, or contestant; pro.

4. a person who is expert at some kind of work.

   You can tell by her comments that this editor is a real professional.

professional

/ prəˈfɛʃənəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, suitable for, or engaged in as a profession

2. engaging in an activity for gain or as a means of livelihood

3. 1. extremely competent in a job, etc

   2. (of a piece of work or anything performed) produced with competence or skill

4. undertaken or performed for gain or by people who are paid

noun

1. a person who belongs to or engages in one of the professions

2. a person who engages for his livelihood in some activity also pursued by amateurs

3. a person who engages in an activity with great competence

4. an expert player of a game who gives instruction, esp to members of a club by whom he is hired

Other Word Forms

• professionally adverb
• interprofessional adjective
• pseudoprofessional adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of professional¹

First recorded in 1740–50; profession + -al ¹

Example Sentences

They just look so professional and so solid.

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The force said a mandatory referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct by its professional standards department.

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In the UK, the injections are prescription only medicines, which means they can only be prescribed by a healthcare professional for a person who clinically needs it.

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“Lately, a lot of professional people have an opinion of what people should and shouldn’t do, what they should and shouldn’t like, how they should dress,” she said while accepting her award.

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Spencer returned to Australia, slowly coming to terms with the idea his days as a professional cricketer might be done.

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Related Words

• competent 
• efficient 
• experienced 
• licensed www.thesaurus.com
• qualified 
• skillful