pro

¹ American  

[proh] / proʊ /

adverb

1. in favor of a proposition, opinion, etc.

---

noun

plural

pros

1. a proponent of an issue; a person who upholds the affirmative in a debate.

2. an argument, consideration, vote, etc., for something.

pro ² American  

[proh] / proʊ /

adjective

1. professional.

---

noun

plural

pros

1. a professional.

2. the pros, the professional athletic leagues, as of football, baseball, or basketball.

   He's sure to be signed by the pros.

pro ³ American  

[proh] / proʊ /

noun

Slang.

plural

pros

1. prophylactic.

---

pro ⁴ American  

[proh] / proʊ /

preposition

Latin.

1. for.

---

Pro ⁵ American  

abbreviation

Biochemistry.

1. proline.

---

PRO ⁶ American  

Or P.R.O.

1. public relations officer.

---

pro- ⁷ American  

1. a prefix indicating favor for some party, system, idea, etc., without identity with the group (pro-British; pro-Communist; proslavery ), having anti- as its opposite.

2. a prefix of priority in space or time having especially a meaning of advancing or projecting forward or outward, and also used to indicate substitution, attached widely to stems not used as words.

   provision; prologue; proceed; produce; protract; procathedral; proconsul.

---

pro- ⁸ American  

1. a prefix identical in meaning with pro-1 , occurring in words borrowed from Greek (prodrome ) or formed of Greek (and occasionally Latin) elements.

---

pro ¹ British  

/ prəʊ /

adverb

1. in favour of a motion, issue, course of action, etc Compare anti

---

preposition

1. in favour of

noun

1. (usually plural) an argument or vote in favour of a proposal or motion See also pros and cons

2. (usually plural) a person who votes in favour of a proposal, motion, etc

pro ² British  

/ prəʊ /

noun

1. informal short for professional

2. slang a prostitute

---

abbreviation

1. professional practitioner

adjective

1. informal short for professional

PRO ³ British  

abbreviation

1. Public Records Office

2. public relations officer

---

pro- ⁴ British  

prefix

1. in favour of; supporting

   pro-Chinese

2. acting as a substitute for

   proconsul

   pronoun

---

pro- ⁵ British  

prefix

1. before in time or position; anterior; forward

   prophase

   procephalic

   prognathous

---

Etymology

Origin of pro¹

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English, from Latin prō (preposition) “in favor of, on behalf of,” akin to Greek pró, Sanskrit pra; for, per ( def. )

Origin of pro²

First recorded in 1840–50; by shortening

Origin of pro³

First recorded in 1945–50; by shortening

Origin of pro-⁷

< Latin prō-, pro-, combining form representing prō pro ¹

Origin of pro-⁸

< Greek, combining form of pró for, before; pro ¹

Example Sentences

I started playing golf as a teenager in the 1980s, long before Mr. Woods turned pro, but he’s the reason I began watching golf tournaments regularly on television.

From The Wall Street Journal

Powell said earlier this month he would stay on as “chair pro tempore” if no successor is confirmed by then, and that he wouldn’t leave the board until the probe ends.

From The Wall Street Journal

Top athletes, long treated like royalty on campus, are being paid like pros.

From The Wall Street Journal

He has boxed just 26 rounds in his pro career - and many of those were cut short.

From BBC

Stadium decisions take on outsize influence because pro sports fans have abiding loyalties.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• ace
• expert
• professional