professional

English Online Dictionary. What means professional‎? What does professional mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle English professhennalle, professhynalle; equivalent to profession +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɹəˈfɛʃənəl/

Noun

professional (plural professionals)

1. A person who belongs to a profession.
2. A person who earns their living from a specified activity.
3. (euphemistic) A prostitute.

4. A reputation known by name.
5. An expert.
6. One of four categories of sociologist propounded by Horowitz: a sociologist who is actively concerned with promoting the profession of sociology.

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

professional (comparative more professional, superlative most professional)

1. Of, pertaining to, or in accordance with the (usually high) standards of a profession.
2. That is carried out for money, especially as a livelihood.
3. (by extension) Expert.

Derived terms

Translations

Catalan

Etymology

From professió +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [pɾu.fə.si.uˈnal]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [pɾo.fə.si.oˈnal]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [pɾo.fe.si.oˈnal]
• Rhymes: -al

Adjective

professional m or f (masculine and feminine plural professionals)

1. professional

Derived terms

• professionalisme
• professionalment

Noun

professional m or f by sense (plural professionals)

1. professional

Further reading

• “professional” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “professional”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025.
• “professional” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “professional” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Dutch

Etymology

From English professional.

Pronunciation

Noun

professional m (plural professionals)

1. a professional practitioner of a trade, métier.
2. an expert in a (professional) field

Related terms

• professionalism n