Showing results for "quid pro quo"

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Slang dictionary results for quid pro quo.

quid pro quo

American  

[kwid proh kwoh] / ˈkwɪd proʊ ˈkwoʊ /

noun

quid pro quos, plural quids pro quo plural

1. something that is given or taken in return for something else.

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quid pro quo British  

/ ˈkwɪd prəʊ ˈkwəʊ /

noun

1. a reciprocal exchange

2. something given in compensation, esp an advantage or object given in exchange for another

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quid pro quo Cultural  

1. A fair exchange; the phrase is most frequently used in diplomacy: “The Chinese may make some concessions on trade, but they will no doubt demand a quid pro quo, so we must be prepared to make concessions too.” From Latin, meaning “something for something.”

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quid pro quo Idioms  

1. An equal exchange or substitution, as in I think it should be quid pro quo—you mow the lawn and I'll take you to the movies. This Latin expression, meaning “something for something,” has been used in English since the late 1500s.

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Usage

What does quid pro quo mean? Tit for tat. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Or, if you want to get a little fancier, quid pro quo. This is a Latin-derived expression referring to something done for someone in exchange for something of equal value in return.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• quid pro quos
  plural
• quids pro quo
  plural

Etymology

Origin of quid pro quo

First recorded in 1555–65; Latin quid prō quō, literally, “what for what, something for something”; see pro ¹ , quiddity , status quo

Compare meaning

How does quid-pro-quo compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• quid pro quo vs. bribery

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

quid pro quo

It’s a quid pro quo dating back to 1993.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

Since the Cold War, other countries that maintained their holdings of dollars and U.S. securities in no small part for security reasons, reflecting an implicit quid pro quo for America’s defense shield.

From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026

District Judge Katherine Menendez, presiding over Minnesota’s request to end what locals officials have called a federal occupation, seemed to recognize the quid pro quo at play.

From Salon ● Jan. 28, 2026

It was, in the end I'm told, quid pro quo.

From BBC ● May 19, 2025

I’m wondering if any of the people on the plane say quid pro quo.

From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King