prose
Americannoun
-
the ordinary form of spoken or written language, without metrical structure, as distinguished from poetry or verse.
-
matter-of-fact, commonplace, or dull expression, quality, discourse, etc.
-
Liturgy. a hymn sung after the gradual, originating from a practice of setting words to the jubilatio of the alleluia.
adjective
-
of, in, or pertaining to prose.
-
commonplace; dull; prosaic.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
-
spoken or written language as in ordinary usage, distinguished from poetry by its lack of a marked metrical structure
-
a passage set for translation into a foreign language
-
commonplace or dull discourse, expression, etc
-
RC Church a hymn recited or sung after the gradual at Mass
-
(modifier) written in prose
-
(modifier) matter-of-fact
verb
-
to write or say (something) in prose
-
(intr) to speak or write in a tedious style
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
prosesimple
-
prosessimple
-
have prosedperfect
-
has prosedperfect
-
am prosingprogressive
-
are prosingprogressive
-
is prosingprogressive
-
have been prosingperfect progressive
-
has been prosingperfect progressive
Past
-
prosedsimple
-
had prosedperfect
-
was prosingprogressive
-
were prosingprogressive
-
had been prosingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of prose
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin prōsa (ōrātiō), literally, “straightforward (speech),” feminine of prōsus, prōrsus, contraction of prōversus “turned forward,” past participle of prōvertere “to turn forward,” equivalent to prō- pro- 1 + vertere “to turn”
Explanation
Prose is so-called "ordinary writing" — made up of sentences and paragraphs, without any metrical (or rhyming) structure. If you write, "I walked about all alone over the hillsides," that's prose. If you say, "I wondered lonely as a cloud/that floats on high o'er vales and hills" that's poetry. See the difference? (Let's not get into prose poetry!) From prose we get the term prosaic, meaning "ordinary" or "commonplace," or lacking the specially delicacy and beauty of its supposed opposite — poetry.
Vocabulary lists containing prose
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Literary Terms, Grade 6, Unit 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
“The reason Barnes & Noble has rebounded from a very difficult period in just a few years has to do with James Daunt,” said Bradley Graham, co-owner of Politics and Prose bookstores in Washington, D.C.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025
Investigative journalist Emily Witt accepted the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose for her memoir “Health and Safety: A Breakdown,” about her exploration of New York’s nightlife scene.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2025
Brooks and I had a drink after my Politics & Prose talk.
From Salon • Nov. 10, 2024
Prose offers readers a front-row seat to the year in which all the promise and power of the 1960s finally withered and died — and the year she committed herself to life as a writer.
From Seattle Times • May 14, 2024
Greek Prose Composition was in two hours, and I hadn’t done my homework.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
