professionalize

especially British, pro·fes·sion·al·ise

[pruh-fesh-uh-nl-ahyz]

verb (used with object)

professionalized, professionalizing 

1. to give a professional character or status to; make into or establish as a profession.

verb (used without object)

professionalized, professionalizing 

1. to become professional.

professionalize

/ prəˈfɛʃənəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to impose a professional structure or status on (something)

Other Word Forms

• professionalist noun
• professionalization noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of professionalize¹

First recorded in 1855–60; professional + -ize

Example Sentences

“It’s going to be huge because we are now professionalizing how we go to market, how we price things,” Cruz said.

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“These are highly professionalized individuals with a lot of experience in bargaining and conflict negotiation.”

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“What I don’t want to have happen is this to become a full-time job and become professionalized,” Horvitz insists.

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The strategy is built on professionalizing law enforcement and implementing the sorts of data-driven and community policing models used in many U.S. cities.

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The city has for years sought to professionalize the ranks of interventionists, providing new oversight and training.

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