Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Pro
‖
Pro
,p
rep.
A Latin preposition signifying for, before, forth.
Pro confesso
[L.]
(Law)
, taken as confessed. The action of a court of equity on that portion of the pleading in a particular case which the pleading on the other side does not deny.
– Pro rata
. [L. See
Prorate
.] In proportion; proportion.
– Pro re nata
[L.]
(Law)
, for the existing occasion; as matters are.
Pro
,adv.
For, on, or in behalf of, the affirmative side; – in contrast with
con
. Pro and con
, for and against, on the affirmative and on the negative side;
– as, they debated the question
; – formerly used also as a verb. pro and con
Pros and cons
, the arguments or reasons on either side.
Webster 1828 Edition
Pro
PRO
, a Latin and Greek preposition, signifying for, before, forth, is probably contracted from prod, coinciding with It. proda, a prow, prode, brave; having the primary sense of moving forward. See Prodigal. In the phrase, pro and con, that is, pro and contra, it answers to the English for; for and against.In composition, pro denotes fore, forth, forward.
Definition 2024
Pro
pro
pro
Translingual
Etymology
from Provençal, with the final o for old. Compare fro.
Symbol
pro
- ISO 639 code for Old Provençal.
English
Noun
pro (plural pros)
- An advantage of something, especially when contrasted with its disadvantages (cons).
- What are the pros and cons of buying a car?
- A person who supports a concept or principle.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- (advantage): con, disadvantage, downside, minus
- (person who supports): anti
Derived terms
Translations
advantage of something
Preposition
pro
- In favor of.
- He is pro exercise but against physical exertion, quite a conundrum.
Antonyms
Translations
in favor of
Etymology 2
Shortened from professional.
Noun
pro (plural pros)
- A professional sportsman.
- (colloquial) Professional.
- When it comes to DIY, he's a real pro.
Derived terms
Translations
a professional sportsman
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someone who is very good at something
Adjective
pro (comparative more pro, superlative most pro)
- Professional.
- He landed a pro mentorship gig.
Etymology 3
Shortening.
Noun
pro (plural pros)
- 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.
- 1974, "Fynn" (Sydney Hopkins), Mister God, This Is Anna
Anagrams
Czech
Pronunciation
Preposition
pro + accusative
Noun
pro n
- pro (advantage)
- Všechno má svá pro a proti. — Everything has its pros and cons.
Synonyms
- klad m
Antonyms
Esperanto
Preposition
pro
- caused by, because of, owing to, due to
- motivated by, for the sake of, on account of, for
- in exchange for
See also
French
Etymology
Shortened from professionnel(le).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /pʁo/
Adjective
pro m, f (plural pros)
- professional
- Il est très pro.
Noun
pro m, f (plural pros)
- professional
- Elle est une vraie pro.
- a whiz, someone who is very good at something
- Nous avons affaire à un pro !
German
Preposition
pro (+ dative)
Usage notes
- When used with Latin words, the ablative is used as in pars pro toto or Pars pro Toto, and pro forma or pro Forma.
Italian
Etymology
From Latin prō (“for, on behalf of”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /prɔ/, [pr̺ɔ], /pro/, [pr̺o]
- Rhymes: -ɔ, -o
Preposition
pro
- (archaic) for, in favour of
Noun
pro m (invariable)
- (dated) good, benefit, advantage, weal
- 1321, Dante Alighieri, La divina commedia: Inferno, Le Monnier (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.
- Al mondo non fur mai persone ratte ¶ a far lor pro o a fuggir lor danno, ¶ com'io, dopo cotai parole fatte.
- 1321, Dante Alighieri, La divina commedia: Inferno, Le Monnier (1994), Canto II, p. 29, vv. 109-111:
- pro (as in English “pros and cons”)
Etymology 2
Noun
pro m (invariable)
- (slang) pro
Latin
Etymology
From Proto-Indo-European *pro-, form of *per-.[1]
Alternative forms
- por- (archaic)
Preposition
prō + ablative (LL. also + accusative)
Derived terms
Terms derived from pro
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Descendants
References
- pro in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- pro in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- PRO in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
- Félix Gaffiot (1934), “pro”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
- Meissner, Carl; Auden, Henry William (1894) Latin Phrase-Book, London: Macmillan and Co.
- to make up, stir up a fire: ignem excitare (pro Mur. 25. 51)
- as well as I can; to the best of my ability: pro viribus or pro mea parte
- as well as I can; to the best of my ability: pro virili parte (cf. sect. V. 22.)
- to die for one's country: mortem occumbere pro patria
- to shed one's blood for one's fatherland: sanguinem suum pro patria effundere or profundere
- to sacrifice oneself for one's country: vitam profundere pro patria
- to sacrifice oneself for one's country: se morti offerre pro salute patriae
- according to circumstances: pro re (nata), pro tempore
- according to circumstances: pro tempore et pro re
- to avoid no risk in order to..: nullum periculum recusare pro
- to show gratitude (in one's acts): gratiam alicui referre (meritam, debitam) pro aliqua re
- to thank a person (in words): gratias alicui agere pro aliqua re
- to return good for evil: pro maleficiis beneficia reddere
- according to a man's deserts: ex, pro merito
- to strain every nerve, do one's utmost in a matter: pro viribus eniti et laborare, ut
- this much I can vouch for: illud pro certo affirmare licet
- to quote an argument in favour of immortality: argumentum immortalitatis afferre (not pro)
- this goes to prove what I say: hoc est a (pro) me
- the matter speaks for itself: res ipsa (pro me apud te) loquitur
- to translate literally, word for word (not verbo tenus): verbum pro verbo reddere
- to be security for some one: sponsionem facere, sponsorem esse pro aliquo
- to revenge oneself on another for a thing or on some one's behalf: ulcisci aliquem pro aliquo or pro aliqua re
- to give some one satisfaction for an injury: satisfacere alicui pro (de) iniuriis
- to tell lies: falsa (pro veris) dicere
- a religious war: bellum pro religionibus susceptum
- to sacrifice human victims: pro victimis homines immolare
- to fight for hearth and home: pro aris et focis pugnare, certare, dimicare
- to support a bill (before the people): pro lege dicere
- to go to Cilicia as pro-consul: pro consule in Ciliciam proficisci
- to give evidence on some one's behalf: testimonium dicere pro aliquo
- to state as evidence: pro testimonio dicere
- to defend a person: causam dicere pro aliquo
- to punish some one: ulcisci aliquem (pro aliqua re)
- to be on duty before the gates: stationes agere pro portis
- to make up, stir up a fire: ignem excitare (pro Mur. 25. 51)
- pro in Ramminger, Johann (accessed 16 July 2016) Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, pre-publication website, 2005-2016
Old French
Preposition
pro
- (very early Old French) Alternative form of por
Usage notes
- Used in the Oaths of Strasbourg