pro

1 of 7

noun

ˈprō 

plural pros

1

: an argument or evidence in affirmation

an appraisal of the pros and cons

2

: the affirmative side or one holding it

pro

2 of 7

adverb

: on the affirmative side : in affirmation

much has been written pro and con

pro

3 of 7

preposition

: in favor of : for

pro

4 of 7

noun or adjective

: professional

PRO

5 of 7

abbreviation

public relations officer

pro-

6 of 7

prefix (1)

1

a

: earlier than : prior to : before

prothalamion

b

: rudimentary : prot-

pronucleus

c

: precursory

proinsulin

2

a

: located in front of or at the front of : anterior to

procephalic

b

: front : anterior

prothorax

3

: projecting

prognathous

pro-

7 of 7

prefix (2)

1

: taking the place of : substituting for

procathedral

procaine

2

: favoring : supporting : championing

pro-American

Examples of pro in a Sentence

Noun

He is a pro when it comes to household repairs.

She handled that tricky situation like an old pro.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And that rulebook — for all its rapid changes in recent years — refuses to do away with the fading notion that college athletes aren't pros who can be paid merely to show up and play. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

Charlotte has dozens of spots to pick up sweet croissants, fruity muffins, cookies and cakes from talented pros. — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 19 Aug. 2026

Adverb

In May, the football pro announced that this will be his final season in the NFL. — Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 10 Aug. 2026

The organizing pro recommends rotating items seasonally (for instance, adding sunscreen in the spring and gloves in the winter) to keep the space functional year-round. — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 25 July 2026

Preposition

That matched the second-highest finish by a Sun Devil, the other coming from current PGA pro Jon Rahm in 2016. — Michelle Gardner, The Arizona Republic, 27 May 2021

Noun or adjective

But—as frequent cruisers and industry pros know—making the most of a cruise still requires some strategy. — Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 15 Aug. 2026

According to pros, there are ideal situations for mopping with hot or cold water. — Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Latin, preposition, for — more at for

Adverb

pro-

Preposition

Latin

Prefix (1)

New Latin, from Latin, from Greek, before, forward, forth, for, from pro — more at for

Prefix (2)

Latin pro in front of, before, for, forward — more at for

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Preposition

1837, in the meaning defined above

Noun Or Adjective

1856, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pro

• all-pro
• pro-am
• pro and con
• pro bono
• pro-choice
• pro-family
• pro forma
• pro forma invoice
• pro-inflammatory
• pro-life
• pro rata
• pro se
• pro shop
• pro-social
• pro tem
• pro tempore
• pro-verb
• quid pro quo
• turn pro

Rhymes for pro

• beau
• beaut
• beaux
• blow
• bro
• coe
• crow
• doe
• doh
• dough
• eau
• eaux

Kids Definition

pro

1 of 5 noun

ˈprō 

plural pros

ˈprōz

: an argument or evidence in favor of something

discuss the pros and cons

pro

2 of 5 adverb

: in favor of something

pro

3 of 5 noun or adjective

: professional

pro-

4 of 5 prefix

: located in front of or at the front of

prothorax

pro-

5 of 5 prefix

1

: taking the place of : substituting for

pronoun

2

: favoring : supporting

pro-American

Etymology

Noun

Middle English pro "an argument in favor of something," from Latin pro (preposition) "in favor of, for"

Noun or adjective

a shortened form of professional

Prefix

derived from Greek pro "before, forward"

Prefix

derived from Latin pro "in front of, for"

Medical Definition

Pro

1 of 2 abbreviation

proline; prolyl

PRO

2 of 2 abbreviation

peer review organization