quid pro quo

noun \ ˌkwid-ˌprō-ˈkwō \

|Updated on: 18 Jun 2018

Examples: quid pro quo in a Sentence

Editor's Note: quid pro quo and the Apothecary

Definition of quid pro quo

: something given or received for something else; also : a deal arranging a quid pro quo

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Examples of quid pro quo in a Sentence

in politics nobody does something for nothing: there's always a quid pro quo involved

Recent Examples of quid pro quo from the Web

Prosecutions occur under two conditions: When a donation is corrupt and the donor is seeking a quid pro quo from the candidate.

— paul bond, The Hollywood Reporter, "Dinesh D'Souza Reveals What Trump Told Him on the Phone Before the Pardon," 31 May 2018
Unwilling to enter in a direct quid pro quo with their users, the data titans must make do with whatever their users submit.

— eduardo porter, New York Times, "Your Data Is Crucial to a Robotic Age. Shouldn’t You Be Paid for It?," 6 Mar. 2018
So far there is no indication that Guatemala has received anything from Washington in a quid pro quo, though Trump expressed appreciation for Morales' support on the embassy issue in February when the two met in Washington.

— Fox News, "Guatemala embassy move seen as domestic win, pleasing US," 16 May 2018
Its unofficial legislative body is the floating quid pro quo Favor Bank that has always made New York tick at its highest levels, however corruptly, since Tammany Hall.

— jeet heer, The New Republic, "New York Is the Most Politically Toxic Place in America," 9 May 2018
Here’s a look: Types of harassment State: Hostile work environment and quid pro quo, also known as a favor for a favor.

— christine willmsen, The Seattle Times, "Long before #MeToo, these Puget Sound women sued, won, strengthened anti-harassment law," 30 Apr. 2018
Lula’s lawyers say that Mr Moro did not show that the flat, which Lula never occupied or owned, was a quid pro quo for any action.

— The Economist, "Brazil’s Lula and government by judges," 5 Apr. 2018

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

quid pro quo and the Apothecary

In the early 16th century, a quid pro quo was something obtained from an apothecary. That's because when quid pro quo (New Latin for "something for something") was first used in English, it referred to the process of substituting one medicine for another—whether intentionally (and sometimes fraudulently) or accidentally. The meaning of the phrase was quickly extended, however, and within several decades it was being used for more general equivalent exchanges. These days, it often occurs in legal contexts.

Origin and Etymology of quid pro quo

New Latin, something for something

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1582

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

quid pro quo Synonyms

Synonyms

back-and-forth, barter, commutation, dicker, exchange, swap, trade, trade-off, truck;

Related Words

replacement, substitution;

reciprocation, recompense, requital;

bargain, deal, horse trade, negotiation, transaction;

bargaining, dealing, dickering, haggling, horse trading;

logrolling;

Financial Definition of QUID PRO QUO

quid pro quo

noun

What It Is

Quid pro quo is a Latin phrase that literally means "something for something." The phrase usually indicates an exchange of goods or services of roughly equivalent value.

How It Works

From a legal perspective, quid pro quo indicates that a good or service has been traded for something of equal value. In particular, quid pro quo is used explicitly to indicate that there has been "consideration" in a contract, meaning that there are goods or services being delivered and that acceptable payment is made for these goods or services. Without consideration, or quid pro quo, for example, a contract may be determined to be nonbinding and invalid.

In the political world, for example, quid pro quo sometimes refers to giving support, financial or otherwise, to a political candidate in exchange for the expectation of direct support for an activity of the political benefactor. Quid pro quo may appear as bribery in these cases and such support must always be tested for conflicts of interest.

Why It Matters

Quid pro quo is one of the most common Latin legal terms used. In any transaction, legal, political or otherwise, it is helpful to know the quid pro quo, that is, the balance of the value of the service or good and the financial compensation being offered.

Source: Investing Answers