pro

See also: Appendix:Variations of "pro"

Translingual

English Wikipedia has an article on:

PRO

Wikipedia

Etymology

Abbreviation of English Provençal + abbreviation of English old.

Symbol

pro

1. (international standards) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-3 language code for Old Occitan.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Old Occitan terms

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɹəʊ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /pɹoʊ/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -əʊ

Etymology 1

From Late Middle English pro, from Latin prō (“on behalf of”).

Noun

pro (plural pros)

2. An advantage of something, especially when contrasted with its disadvantages (cons).

   Synonyms: advantage, plus, upside

   Antonyms: con, disadvantage, downside, minus

   What are the pros and cons of buying a car?

3. A person who supports a concept or principle.

   Antonym: anti

Derived terms

• pros and cons

Translations

advantage of something

Catalan: pro (ca) m Czech: pro (cs) n, klad (cs) m Finnish: etu (fi), hyvä puoli French: les pours, les avantages Georgian: უპირატესობა (uṗiraṭesoba) Polish: za (pl) n Portuguese: pró (pt) m Slovak: plus, klad, výhoda Swedish: fördel (sv) c Thai: ข้อดี (kɔ̂ɔ-dii) Vietnamese: ưu điểm (vi)

Preposition

pro

1. In favor of.

   Antonym: anti

   He is pro exercise but against physical exertion, quite a conundrum.

Translations

in favor of

Arabic: مَع (ar) (maʕ) Egyptian Arabic: مع (maʕ) Catalan: pro (ca) Czech: pro (cs) Finnish: puolesta (fi) Italian: in favore di, pro (it) Polish: za (pl) Portuguese: pró (pt) Slovak: za (sk) Tagalog: sang-ayon Turkish: adına (tr), lehine (tr), lehinde (tr) Vietnamese: thuận (vi)

Etymology 2

Clipping of professional.

Noun

pro (plural pros)

1. A professional sportsman.
2. (colloquial) Professional.

   When it comes to DIY, he's a real pro.

Derived terms

• gold pro
• pro-am
• pro hop
• pro move
• pro shop

Translations

a professional sportsman

Finnish: ammattilainen (fi) French: pro (fr) m Norwegian: proff m

someone who is very good at something

Catalan: expert (ca) m Czech: profík (cs) m Estonian: proff French: pro (fr) m, expert (fr) m German: Profi (de) m Hungarian: profi (hu) Italian: esperto (it) m Latin: consultus m Norwegian: proff m Portuguese: especialista (pt) m or f, perito (pt) m Russian: про́фи (ru) m or f (prófi), профессиона́л (ru) m (professionál), спец (ru) m (spec) Slovak: profík m, profíčka f Spanish: perito (es) m, experto (es) m Swedish: proffs (sv) n

Adjective

pro (comparative more pro, superlative most pro)

1. Professional.

   He landed a pro mentorship gig.

Derived terms

• pro wrestling

Etymology 3

Clipping of prostitute.

Noun

pro (plural pros)

1. (slang) A prostitute.
   • 1974, "Fynn" (Sydney Hopkins), Mister God, This Is Anna

     Millie was one of the dozen or so pros who had a house at the top of the street.

Derived terms

• pro skirt

Etymology 4

Clipping of proproctor

Noun

pro (plural pros)

1. (UK, slang, archaic) A proproctor.

References

• John Camden Hotten (1873), The Slang Dictionary

Etymology 5

Clipping of prophylaxis.

Noun

pro (plural pros)

1. (slang, historical) A chemical prophylaxis taken after sex to avoid contracting venereal disease.

See also

• civ pro
• co-pro
• in dubio pro reo
• nunc pro tunc
• per pro
• pro bono
• pro confesso
• pro domino
• pro eo quod
• pro hac vice
• pro hoc vice
• pro indiviso
• pro memoria
• pro nav
• pro parte
• pro per
• pro re nata
• pro se
• pro tem
• pro tempore
• pro time
• pro tip
• quo pro quid
• sic pro

Anagrams

• RPO, opr., ROP, orp, OPr., POR

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [ˈpɾɔ]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈpɾo]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Noun

pro m (plural pros)

1. pro; benefit; bonus

Preposition

pro

1. pro, for; in favour of

Chinese

Etymology

From clipping of English professional.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pʰou̯²²/, /pʰɹou̯²²/

Adjective

pro

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) professional

Synonyms

• 專業／专业 (zhuānyè)

See also

• 傾pro／倾pro (“to discuss a school project”)

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈpro]

• Audio:

  (file)

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Czech pro, from Proto-Slavic *pro.

Preposition

pro [with accusative]

1. for

   Zabili ho pro peníze. ― They killed him for his money.

Etymology 2

Noun

pro n (indeclinable)

1. pro (advantage)

   Synonym: klad

   Antonyms: proti, zápor

   Všechno má svá pro a proti. ― Everything has its pros and cons.

Further reading

• “pro”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “pro”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “pro”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

Esperanto

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pro/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -o
• Hyphenation: pro

Preposition

pro

1. caused by, because of, owing to, due to
2. motivated by, for the sake of, on account of, for
3. in exchange for

See also

• per
• por

Finnish

Etymology 1

Learned borrowing from Latin pro or Ancient Greek πρό (pró).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈproː/, [ˈpro̞ː]
• Rhymes: -oː
• Syllabification^(key): pro
• Hyphenation^(key): pro

Adverb

pro (not comparable) [with nominative]

1. instead of, rather than

   Synonym: sijaan

   Sana taipuu kusi:kusen (pro "kusin").

   The word is inflected kusi:kusen (not "kusin").

References

• Ruppel, Klaas, editor (2021–2023), Suomen etymologinen sanakirja [Finnish Etymological Dictionary] (Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 72)‎ (in Finnish), Kotimaisten kielten keskus, →ISSN

Further reading

• “1. pro”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 1 July 2023

Etymology 2

Borrowed from English pro, from professional.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈproː/, [ˈpro̞ː]
• IPA^(key): /ˈprou̯/, [ˈpro̞u̯]
• Rhymes: -oː

Adjective

pro (not comparable) (colloquial)

1. skilled

   Synonym: taitava

Declension

Inflection of pro (Kotus type 21/rosé, no gradation)
nominative		pro	prot
genitive		pron	proiden proitten
partitive		prota	proita
illative		prohon	proihin
		singular	plural
nominative		pro	prot
accusative	nom.	pro	prot
	gen.	pron
genitive		pron	proiden proitten
partitive		prota	proita
inessive		prossa	proissa
elative		prosta	proista
illative		prohon	proihin
adessive		prolla	proilla
ablative		prolta	proilta
allative		prolle	proille
essive		prona	proina
translative		proksi	proiksi
abessive		protta	proitta
instructive		—	proin
comitative		—	proine

Possessive forms of pro (Kotus type 21/rosé, no gradation)
Rare. Only used with substantive adjectives.
first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative proni proni accusative nom. proni proni gen. proni genitive proni proideni proitteni partitive protani proitani inessive prossani proissani elative prostani proistani illative prohoni proihini adessive prollani proillani ablative proltani proiltani allative prolleni proilleni essive pronani proinani translative prokseni proikseni abessive prottani proittani instructive — — comitative — proineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative prosi prosi accusative nom. prosi prosi gen. prosi genitive prosi proidesi proittesi partitive protasi proitasi inessive prossasi proissasi elative prostasi proistasi illative prohosi proihisi adessive prollasi proillasi ablative proltasi proiltasi allative prollesi proillesi essive pronasi proinasi translative proksesi proiksesi abessive prottasi proittasi instructive — — comitative — proinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative promme promme accusative nom. promme promme gen. promme genitive promme proidemme proittemme partitive protamme proitamme inessive prossamme proissamme elative prostamme proistamme illative prohomme proihimme adessive prollamme proillamme ablative proltamme proiltamme allative prollemme proillemme essive pronamme proinamme translative proksemme proiksemme abessive prottamme proittamme instructive — — comitative — proinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative pronne pronne accusative nom. pronne pronne gen. pronne genitive pronne proidenne proittenne partitive protanne proitanne inessive prossanne proissanne elative prostanne proistanne illative prohonne proihinne adessive prollanne proillanne ablative proltanne proiltanne allative prollenne proillenne essive pronanne proinanne translative proksenne proiksenne abessive prottanne proittanne instructive — — comitative — proinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative pronsa pronsa accusative nom. pronsa pronsa gen. pronsa genitive pronsa proidensa proittensa partitive protaan protansa proitaan proitansa inessive prossaan prossansa proissaan proissansa elative prostaan prostansa proistaan proistansa illative prohonsa proihinsa adessive prollaan prollansa proillaan proillansa ablative proltaan proltansa proiltaan proiltansa allative prolleen prollensa proilleen proillensa essive pronaan pronansa proinaan proinansa translative prokseen proksensa proikseen proiksensa abessive prottaan prottansa proittaan proittansa instructive — — comitative — proineen proinensa

Further reading

• “2. pro”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 1 July 2023

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pʁo/

Etymology 1

Clipping of professionnel(le).

Adjective

pro (plural pros)

1. (informal) professional

   Il est très pro.

   He's a real pro.

Noun

pro m or f by sense (plural pros)

1. (informal) professional

   Elle est une vraie pro.

   She's a real pro.

2. (informal) a whiz, someone who is very good at something

   Nous avons affaire à un pro !

   We're dealing with a pro!

Further reading

• “pro”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Etymology 2

From prochain.

Adjective

pro (plural pros)

1. (informal) next

   la semaine pro

   next week

German

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin prō (“for”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (Germany):

  (file)

Preposition

pro [with accusative or dative or nominative]

1. per, each

   Synonyms: je, für

   Samt Mehrwertsteuer ergibt sich ein Kaufpreis von rund 30 Euro pro Stück

   After VAT the price comes to around 30 euros each.

   Der durchschnittliche Pro-Kopf-Konsum von Bier in Deutschland im Jahr 2018 summierte sich auf rund 101,1 Liter.

   Average beer consumption in Germany in 2018 came to 101.1 liters per head.

Usage notes

• Followed by a noun in either the accusative, dative or nominative case. No semantic distinction is made between the cases here. Examples from Duden:

  pro gefahrenen / gefahrenem Kilometer ― per kilometer travelled

  pro verkauftes / verkauftem Exemplar ― for every copy sold

  • The accusative is the most prescriptive and most formal sounding case.
  • The nominative is especially popular when a bare noun (i.e. without adjectives or other modifiers) follows the preposition:

    pro Mensch NOM >> pro Menschen ACC / DAT

    pro Kollege NOM >> pro Kollegen ACC / DAT

• When used in a Latin phrase, the ablative is used according to the rules of Latin grammar: pars pro toto or Pars pro Toto, and pro forma or pro Forma.

Derived terms

• pro Kopf

Further reading

• “pro, je, zu, jeweils, für” in Duden online
• “pro, für, dafür” in Duden online
• “pro” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Ido

Preposition

pro

1. because of

Indonesian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈpro]
• Hyphenation: pro

Etymology 1

Learned borrowing from Latin pro.

Adjective

pro (comparative lebih pro, superlative paling pro)

1. (colloquial) pro, in favor of

   Synonym: setuju

2. more

   Synonym: lebih

Etymology 2

From clipping of profesional (“professional”).

Noun

pro (plural pro-pro)

1. clipping of profesional (“professional”)

Further reading

• “pro” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Interlingua

Alternative forms

• por

Etymology

From Latin prō, which is the predecessor of French pour, Italian pro and Spanish para via Vulgar Latin por. See also por.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pro/

Preposition

pro

1. for, to, for the sake of, not against

   Ille ha un dono pro te.

   He has a gift for you.

   Io ha votate pro iste candidato.

   I've voted for this candidate.

   Medicamento pro uso interne.

   Medication for internal use

2. in place of, in exchange for, in return for

   Illa prendeva le robo pro solmente vinti euros!

   She got the dress for only twenty euros!

3. (+ infinitive) to, in order to (expressing the intended purpose of an action)

   Io vole cantar pro facer te retornar.

   I want to sing to make you return.

Italian

Etymology 1

From Latin prō (“for, on behalf of”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈprɔ/^°, /pro/^° (preposition)
  • Rhymes: -ɔ, -o
  • Hyphenation: prò, pro
• IPA^(key): /ˈprɔ/^* (noun)
  • Rhymes: -ɔ
  • Hyphenation: prò
• The preposition does not trigger syntactic gemination in the following word, but the noun does.

Preposition

pro

1. (dated) for, in favor of/in favour of

Related terms

• pro capite (pro-capite, procapite)

Noun

pro m (invariable)

1. (dated) good, benefit, advantage, weal
   • 1321, Dante Alighieri, La divina commedia: Inferno, Le Monnier, published 1994, Canto II, p. 29, vv. 109-111:

     Al mondo non fur mai persone ratte ¶ a far lor pro o a fuggir lor danno, ¶ com'io, dopo cotai parole fatte.

     Never were persons in the world so swift ¶ to work their weal and to escape their woe, ¶ as I, after such words as these were uttered.

2. pro (as in English “pros and cons”)

Etymology 2

Borrowed from English pro.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈprɔ/^*
• Rhymes: -ɔ
• Hyphenation: prò

Noun

pro m (invariable)

1. (slang) pro

Ladin

Noun

pro m (plural pro)

1. good; benefit; advantage