subprofessional

American  

[suhb-pruh-fesh-uh-nl] / ˌsʌb prəˈfɛʃ ə nl /

adjective

1. being below professional standards.

   subprofessional healthcare.

2. paraprofessional.

---

noun

1. a paraprofessional.

Other Word Forms

• subprofessionally adverb

Etymology

Origin of subprofessional

First recorded in 1940–45; sub- + professional

Example Sentences

When Katherine Johnson began working at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics in 1953, she was classified as “subprofessional,” not far outranking a secretary or janitor.

From Seattle Times

Over the course of twelve years, Virginia Tucker, the labs Head Computer, had ascended from a subprofessional employee to the most powerful woman at the lab.

From Literature

The jobs were classified as “subprofessional,” even though they entailed specialized math skills.

From Washington Post

Furthermore, many of the old blue-collar class are now more accurately called the subprofessional white-collar class, working in offices and not on assembly lines.

From Time Magazine Archive