pro forma

adjective

pro for·​ma (ˌ)prō-ˈfȯr-mə 

1

: made or carried out in a perfunctory manner or as a formality

2

: based on financial assumptions or projections: such as

a

: reflecting a transaction (such as a merger) or other development as if it had been or will be in effect for a past or future period

a pro forma balance sheet

b

: excluding usually extraordinary charges or expenses (as from acquisitions, restructuring, or the write-down of goodwill) often in order to present a more attractive financial report

pro forma income

Did you know?

A lot of things are done for the sake of appearances. A teacher might get officially observed and evaluated every three years, even though everyone knows she's terrific and the whole thing is strictly pro forma. A critic might say that an orchestral conductor gave a pro forma performance, since his heart wasn't in it. A business owner might make a pro forma appearance at the funeral of a politician's mother, never having met her but maybe hoping for a favor from her son sometime in the future. In business, pro forma has some special meanings; a pro forma invoice, for example, will list all the items being sent but, unlike a true invoice, won't be an actual bill.

Examples of pro forma in a Sentence

The meeting was strictly pro forma, since the decision had already been made.

Recent Examples on the Web

As with other trailer bills, it was hustled through the Assembly on a pro forma floor vote a few weeks later and then sat in the Senate for the next four months. —Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024

As the company gets more attention, more people engage, which ultimately drives more trading—until the hype is over and the stock plummets back to its pro forma state. —Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

Roy, a staunch conservative and a former assistant attorney general of Texas, argued that the House certification must remain pro forma. —David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024

The Galaxy debt balance as of 29 February 2024, with pro forma adjustments for the Transaction and subsequent debt repayment, is $14.0 million, a 60% reduction from the original Galaxy debt balance of $35.0 million. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Mar. 2024

The complexities of pro forma machine-to-machine communication combined with the new multi-orbit dimensionality present unique space cyber challenges including: ultra-low financial barriers to entry, inherent difficulties in attack attribution, and aggression deterrence. —Charles Beames, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024

The transaction values the combined company at a pro forma enterprise value of about $520 million at $10 per share, the company said in a news release. —Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2023

Slimmer majority The second session of the 118th Congress actually began last week, but both chambers held only pro forma sessions and members will not be back in their Hill offices until this week. —Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 14 Jan. 2024

Significantly, House Ethics Chairman Michael Guest will introduce an expulsion resolution Friday during a pro forma session, according to a source. —Will Steakin, ABC News, 16 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Latin, for form

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

pro forma

adjective

pro for·​ma prō-ˈfȯr-mə 

1

: made or carried out in a perfunctory manner or as a formality

2

: provided or made in advance to describe items or projections

a pro forma invoice

Etymology

Latin, for the sake of form