career

[ kuh-reer ]

noun

1. an occupation or profession, especially one requiring special training, followed as one's lifework:

   He sought a career as a lawyer.

2. a person's progress or general course of action through life or through a phase of life, as in some profession or undertaking:

   His career as a soldier ended with the armistice.

   Synonyms: livelihood, lifework, work, calling, vocation

3. success in a profession, occupation, etc.
4. a course, especially a swift one.
5. speed, especially full speed:

   The horse stumbled in full career.

6. Archaic. a charge at full speed.

verb (used without object)

1. to run or move rapidly along; go at full speed.

adjective

1. having or following a career; professional:

   a career diplomat.

career

/ kəˈrɪə /

noun

1. a path or progress through life or history
2. a profession or occupation chosen as one's life's work
3. modifier having or following a career as specified

   a career diplomat

4. a course or path, esp a swift or headlong one

verb

1. intr to move swiftly along; rush in an uncontrolled way

Word History and Origins

Origin of career¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French carriere, from Old Provençal carriera, literally, “road,” from Late Latin carrāria (via) “vehicular (road),” equivalent to Latin carr(us) “wagon” ( car ¹ ) + -āria (feminine of -ārius -ary )

Word History and Origins

Origin of career¹

C16: from French carrière, from Late Latin carrāria carriage road, from Latin carrus two-wheeled wagon, car

Idioms and Phrases

see checkered career .

Example Sentences

“He didn’t pitch until late in his college career, so there’s some relative freshness to his arm,” the scout told FiveThirtyEight.

From FiveThirtyEight

Instead, Khudobin has been off the mark so far in the bubble, playing some of the worst hockey of his career.

From FiveThirtyEight

“Ten years is better than four years, but it’s not better than career employment,” she said.

From Washington Post

Being so young, doing it so early in my career — it’s amazing.

From FiveThirtyEight

We are designing it for inspiration, to help members find the inspiration, energy, and allies they’ll need to grow their careers while make business better.

From Fortune

I always wanted to have a career like his—except for the stopping work thing.

From The Daily Beast

So looking at that and that at that time I was also pursuing my career—so there was something here.

From The Daily Beast

The memoir follows Oswalt from 1995 to 1999 as he was starting out on his comedy career in Los Angeles.

From The Daily Beast

Starting under Theodore Roosevelt and Howard Taft, embassies headed by career diplomats increased in number.

From The Daily Beast

I ask Atefeh and Monir if they see dancing as a form of income in the future, a potential career.

From The Daily Beast

He began his military career at the age of 11, and continued in the service nearly 60 years.

From Project Gutenberg

In 1856 she married Mesdag, who, rather late in life decided to follow the career of a painter.

From Project Gutenberg

At the very commencement of the campaign Massna committed a fault which almost ruined his career.

From Project Gutenberg

So did my versatile friend, joyously confident in his powers, start on his glorious career as a private detective.

From Project Gutenberg

Your mad career generally ended in a crowd and a free fight of confetti.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• course
• race