pro forma

American  

[proh fawr-muh] / proʊ ˈfɔr mə /

Also proforma

adjective

1. according to form; as a matter of form; for the sake of form.

2. Commerce.  provided in advance of shipment and merely showing the description and quantity of goods shipped without terms of payment.

   a pro forma invoice.

3. Accounting.  indicating hypothetical financial figures based on previous business operations for estimate purposes.

   a pro forma balance sheet.

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adverb

1. as a matter of form.

   Many of the school assignments appear to be done pro forma.

noun

PLURAL

pro forma, pro formas

1. a pro forma document.

pro forma British  

/ ˈprəʊ ˈfɔːmə /

adjective

1. prescribing a set form or procedure

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adverb

1. performed in a set manner

pro forma Cultural  

1. Doing something pro forma means satisfying only the minimum requirements of a task and doing it in a perfunctory way: “Her welcoming address was strictly pro forma: you could tell that her mind was a million miles away.” From Latin, meaning “by form.”

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Etymology

Origin of pro forma

First recorded in 1565–75; from Latin prō formā

Example Sentences

The Convex deal, expected to close in early 2026, will account for 42% of pro forma net asset value, with management committing to greater earnings disclosure, he adds.

From The Wall Street Journal

China could have made a pro forma protest and moved on in a couple of weeks.

From The Wall Street Journal

Total pro forma revenue was flat from the same period a year ago.

From The Wall Street Journal

The combined water-and-wastewater utility company is set to have a pro forma market capitalization of approximately $40 billion, based on closing prices Friday.

From The Wall Street Journal

Johnson in January did swear in two GOP congressmen during a pro forma session—though the speaker notes that their swearing-in date had already been set and the House was unexpectedly out of session.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• formal