prose

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noun \ˈprōz\

Definition of prose

1a : the ordinary language people use in speaking or writingb : a literary medium distinguished from poetry especially by its greater irregularity and variety of rhythm and its closer correspondence to the patterns of everyday speech
2 : a dull or ordinary style, quality, or condition

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Examples of prose in a Sentence

… the esteemed critic James Wood reaches out to assure “the common reader” … that his prose is as free as he can make it of what James Joyce termed “the true scholastic stink” of so much academic writing. —Walter Kirn, New York Times Book Review, 17 Aug. 2008
Like many two-person writing teams, this one produces its share of three-legged prose and redundancy. —James McManus, New York Times Book Review, 15 Apr. 2001
In my own work I felt a need to hurry from climax as in film montage, or even in Joycean prose with its strings of firecracker words … —Arthur Miller, Timebends, 1987
She writes in very clear prose.

Recent Examples of prose from the Web

Meloy, whose short stories were the basis of last year’s indie film Certain Women, writes a tense book in her signature sparing prose, and may have the book of the summer on her hands.

— marisa meltzer, CNT, "8 Summer Reads That Will Transport You Across the Globe," 10 July 2017
The honor of writing the epilogue went to Dr. Church himself, whose peripatetic prose is challenging, to put it mildly.

— david holahan, USA TODAY, "New book: Will the woolly mammoth roam the earth again?," 3 July 2017
Martin’s Press Writing a book is hard, especially when the book in question is based on meticulous research that surfaces as page-turning prose.

— peter manso, Car and Driver, "Sixteen Books Every Auto Enthusiast Should Read," 3 July 2017
The answer, director and choreographer Josh Rhodes hopes, is in going back to the show’s source: The muscular short-story prose of Damon Runyon.

— james hebert, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Globe giving a fresh go-round to 'Guys and Dolls'," 30 June 2017
The second is a prose-poem first published in 1897.

— adam taylor, Washington Post, "The subtle messages in Emmanuel Macron’s official portrait," 29 June 2017
Kitamura’s prose is impeccably tight and controlled, making the twist midway through truly unexpected and dark. –

— The Cut, "9 Books We’re Reading This Month," 22 June 2017
Reporters appreciated the professionalism at his locker, the polite tone of his prose.

— david haugh, chicagotribune.com, "Blackhawks couldn’t have won three Stanley Cups without Marian Hossa," 21 June 2017
Once again, Roy demonstrates her mastery of exquisite prose, visionary intelligence and a bent for epic storytelling.

— bharti kirchner, The Seattle Times, "Lives in India intersect in Arundhati Roy’s long-awaited novel," 14 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'prose.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of prose

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin prosa, from feminine of prorsus, prosus, straightforward, being in prose, contraction of proversus, past participle of provertere to turn forward, from pro- forward + vertere to turn — more at pro-, worth

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

Other Literature Terms

apophasis, bathos, bildungsroman, bowdlerize, caesura, coda, doggerel, euphemism, poesy, prosody

prose

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adjective \ˈprōz\

Definition of prose

1 : of, relating to, or written in prose
2 : prosaic

Origin and Etymology of prose

see ¹prose

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

Other Literature Terms

apophasis, bathos, bildungsroman, bowdlerize, caesura, coda, doggerel, euphemism, poesy, prosody

prose

play

verb \ˈprōz\

Definition of prose

prosed

;

prosing

intransitive verb
1 : to write prose
2 : to write or speak in a dull or ordinary manner

Examples of prose in a Sentence

‘In the meantime,’ said Traddles, coming back to his chair; ‘and this is the end of my prosing about myself, I get on as well as I can. I don't make much, but I don't spend much … ’ —Charles Dickens, David Copperfield, 1850