Word of the Day

: August 29, 2011

quid pro quo

noun kwid-proh-KWOH

What It Means

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

quid pro quo in Context

"In Hollywood no one does something for nothing," said the director, adding "there's always a quid pro quo involved."

"If we are to believe current reports, Obama has agreed to significant cuts in Medicaid and Medicare without any quid pro quo except for promises of tax reform in the future. That's a huge win for Republicans." -- From an article by Andrew Leonard in Salon, July 22, 2011

Did You Know?

In the 1530s, 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 by the end of that century it was being used for more general equivalent exchanges. These days, it often occurs in legal contexts.