pro

See also: Appendix:Variations of "pro"

Languages (26)

Translingual • English

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Catalan • Chinese • Czech • Dutch • Esperanto • Finnish • French • German • Ido • Indonesian • Interlingua • Italian • Ladin • Latin • Luxembourgish • Middle English • Occitan • Old French • Old Spanish • Portuguese • Sardinian • Serbo-Croatian • Spanish • Volapük

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Page categories

Translingual

Etymology

Abbreviation of English Provençal 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

• Bulgarian: плюс (bg) m (pljus)
• 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
• neopro
• nonpro
• pro-am
• pro-celebrity
• prodom
• proette
• profic
• pro hop
• prolocution
• promission
• pro move
• pro shop
• prozine
• semipro
• superpro

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, profissa m or f
• 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

An American WWII era poster advising service members to "take a pro" before having sexual relations.

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.

Etymology 3

Abbreviation of prosinec.

Noun

pro m inan

1. abbreviation of prosinec or prosince (“December”)

   Coordinate terms: led, úno, bře, dub, kvě, čvn, čvc, srp, zář, říj, lis

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), 2008–2026

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /proː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: pro
• Rhymes: -oː

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin pro.

Noun

pro n (plural pro's, no diminutive)

1. pro (advantage of something)

   Synonyms: plus, pluspunt

   Antonyms: contra, min, minpunt

Noun

pro m or f by sense (plural pro's, no diminutive)

1. pro (person who supports a concept or principle)

Preposition

pro

1. pro (in favor of)

   Synonym: voor

   Antonyms: contra, tegen

Etymology 2

Probably borrowed from English pro.

Noun

pro m or f by sense (plural pro's, no diminutive)

1. (informal) pro (professional)

   Synonyms: prof, profi, professional

Esperanto

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pro/

• Audio 1:

  (file)

• Audio 2:

  (file)

• Audio 3:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -o
• Syllabification: 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

Further reading

• “pro”, in Plena Ilustrita Vortaro de Esperanto [Complete Illustrated Dictionary of Esperanto], 2020, →ISBN
• “pro”, in Reta Vortaro [Online Dictionary] (in Esperanto), 1997-2026

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)‎^[1] (in Finnish), Kotimaisten kielten keskus, →ISSN

Further reading

• “1. pro”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[2] (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]‎^[3] (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 (Berlin)):

  (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^[4] (in German)

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 [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), 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

Latin

Alternative forms

• ꝓ (abbreviation, Medieval Latin)

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *prō, from an innovative instrumental singular *próh₁ derived from Proto-Indo-European *pró (“toward”).

Use with accusative nouns is originally by analogy to ante, amplified in Late Latin due to the merger of other cases with the accusative.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈproː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈprɔː]

Preposition

prō (+ ablative, accusative)

1. for
2. on behalf of, in the interest of, for the sake of
   • 6th century BCE, Tibur pedestal inscription (CIL I² 2658):

     𐌇𐌏𐌉𐌌𐌄𐌃𐌌𐌉𐌕𐌀𐌕𐌊𐌀𐌖𐌉𐌏𐌔[…]𐌌𐌏𐌍𐌉𐌏𐌔𐌒𐌄𐌕𐌉𐌏𐌔𐌃[𐌏]𐌍𐌏𐌌𐌐𐌓𐌏𐌅𐌉𐌋𐌄𐌏𐌃

     [Hoi mēd mītāt Kāvios […]monios Qetios, d[ō]nom prō fīleōd.]

     HOIMEDMITATKAVIOS[…]MONIOSQETIOSD[O]NOMPROFILEOD

     Gavius […]monius Cetius places me here [as] a gift on behalf of [his] son.

3. before, in front of
4. instead of
5. about
6. according to
7. as, like
   • 27 BCE – 25 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab urbe condita I.14:

     pro nuntio fuit

     This was like an alarm

8. as befitting

Usage notes

• Use with the accusative is chiefly attested from Late Latin onwards.

Derived terms

• mōs prō lēge (literally “custom for law”)
• pars prō tōtō (literally “part for the whole”)
• prō bonō publicō
• prō Deō
• prō fōrmā (literally “for (the sake of) form”)
• prō rata
• prō salūte Imperātōris
• prō tantō
• prōnus
• prope
• prōtinus
• quid prō quō
• semel prō semper (“once and for all”)

Related terms

• prō-

Descendants

• Late Latin: pōr (see there for further descendants)
• Sardinian: pro, po
• Borrowings:
  • → Italian: pro
  • → English: pro
  • → Esperanto: por
  • → Finnish: pro
  • → German: pro
  • → Indonesian: pro
  • → Portuguese: pró

Interjection

prō

1. oh! alas!
   • 66 BCE, Cicero, De imperio Pompei 33:

     Pro di immortales! tantamne unius hominis incredibilis ac divina virtus tam brevi tempore lucem adferre rei publicae potuit, ut vos […]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 166 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Andria 1.237:

     Pro deum fidem quid est, si haec non contumeliast?

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 166 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Andria 4.731–732:

     Move ocius te, ut quid agam porro intellegas.
     Pro Iuppiter!

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 161 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Phormio 2.351–352:

     Pro deum inmortalium,
     negat Phanium esse hanc sibi cognatam Demipho?

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 8 CE, Ovidius, Metamorphoses 13.758–759:

     Pro! quanta potentia regni
     est, Venus alma, tui!

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 27 BCE – 25 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab urbe condita 22.14:

     Tantum, pro. Degeneramus a patribus nostris […]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Usage notes

Usually followed by the vocative. Followed by the accusative in the set phrase prō deum fidem!, “by the help of the gods!”, which is also found elliptically as prō deum. Also found alone, enclosed from the main clause.

Alternative forms

• prōh

Derived terms

• prō dolor
• prō pudor

References

• “prō¹”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “prō²”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “prō¹”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “prō²”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “pro”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• "pro", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894), Latin Phrase-Book‎^[5], 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
    
• pro in Ramminger, Johann (16 July 2016 (last accessed)), Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700‎^[6], pre-publication website, 2005-2016

Luxembourgish

Etymology

From Latin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pʀoː/
  • Rhymes: -oː

Preposition

pro

1. per

Middle English

Etymology

From Latin prō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /prɔː/

Noun

pro

1. (Late Middle English, rare) advantage, benefit, upside

Descendants

• English: pro

References

• “prō, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 10 July 2019.

Occitan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pru/

• Audio (Béarn):

  (file)

Preposition

pro

1. enough

   N'i a pro. - There is enough (of it).

2. quite

   Una rauba pro polida. - A quite pretty dress.

Old French

Etymology 1

Preposition

pro

1. (very early Old French) alternative form of por

Etymology 2

From Late Latin prōde. Doublet of preu.

Alternative forms

• prut
• prod
• preu
• prou

Noun

pro oblique singular, m (nominative singular pro)

1. profit, advantage
   • ca. 1050, Vie de Saint Alexis:

     Bons fut li sècles al tens ancienur, si ert créḍance, dunt or n'i a nul prut. Tut est muḍez, perdut aḍ sa colur.

     Good was the time of the ancients, as there was trust, in which nowadays there is no profit. Everything has changed and has lost its color.

   • 11th century, Chanson de Roland, 221-222:

     E dist al Rei : « Ja mar crerez bricun, / Ne mei ne altre, se de vostre prod nun. [...] »

     (Ganelon speaks to Charlemaigne) And he said to the king, "You should never believe a madman: [believe] neither me nor anyone else, unless it is of your advantage. [...]"

Descendants

• French: prou (in the idiom peu ou prou)

Old Spanish

Etymology

From Late Latin prōde (“useful”), perhaps via Old Occitan pro.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɾo/

Noun

pro f (usually uncountable)

1. usefulness, advantage, benefit
   • c. 1200, Almerich, Fazienda de Ultramar, f. 5v:

     Andat ⁊ matemoſle. Echemoſle en aq̃l pozo. E ueremos que prol aura so suenno. […]

     [Andad e matemos-le. Echemos-le en aquel pozo, E veremos que pro-l avra so suenno. […] ]

     “Go and let us kill him. Let us throw him into that pit, and we shall see of what use his dream is to him! […] ”

   • 1140 – 1207, Anonymous, Cantar de mio Cid 1374:

     Bien casariemos con sus fijas pora huebos de pro

     We would do well marrying his daughters, out of need for [our own] benefit.

   • 1140 – 1207, Anonymous, Cantar de mío Cid 1913:

     Andar le qͥero amyo çid en toda pro

     I want to always support the Cid.

     (literally, “I want to walk for my Cid in every advantage.”)

Related terms

• por

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• prò (pre-1990 spelling)
• pró (misspelling)

Etymology

Contraction of pra +‎ o.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /pɾu/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /pɾu/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /pɾo/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /pɾɔ/

• Audio (Portugal (Porto)):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: pro

Contraction

pro (feminine pra, masculine plural pros, feminine plural pras)

1. (colloquial) contraction of pra +‎ o, literally “for/to the (masculine singular)”

   Ana foi pros Estados Unidos, não foi?

   Ana went to the United States, didn't she?

Sardinian

Alternative forms

• po (Campidanese)

Etymology

From Latin pro.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pro/

Preposition

pro

1. for

Serbo-Croatian

Noun

pro m inan (Cyrillic spelling про)

1. (Croatia) abbreviation of prosinac or prosinca (“December”)

   Coordinate terms: sij, velj, ožu, tra, svi, lip, srp, kol, ruj, lis, stu

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɾo/ [ˈpɾo]
• Rhymes: -o
• Syllabification: pro

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Spanish pro, from Late Latin prōde (“useful”).

Noun

pro m (plural pros)

1. usefulness, advantage, benefit

Derived terms

• pro and con

Etymology 2

A recent Latinism, borrowed from Latin prō; see above. Doublet of por.

Preposition

pro

1. pro, in favor of, for

Usage notes

• Equivalent to, and often replaced with, en pro de (see en, de) or a favor de (see a, favor).

Etymology 3

A very recent anglicism, borrowed from English pro.

Noun

pro m or f by sense (plural pros)

1. pro (professional)

   Ella es toda una pro.

   She's a real pro.

Adjective

pro m or f (masculine and feminine plural pro or pros)

1. pro (professional)

   Los atletas pro llegaron ayer, los otros vienen hoy.

   The pro athletes arrived yesterday, the rest are coming today.

   • 2016, Club de la Lucha, 2016-01-12 Entrevista The Fight Cub Torre Del Mar:https://www.clubdelalucha.es/blog/entrevistas/entrevista-the-fight-cub-torre-del-mar

     Hemos tenido luchadores pro y neo pero en este momento no están activos.

     We've had pro and newbie fighters, but right now they're not active.

Further reading

• “pro”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Volapük

Preposition

pro

1. for
   • 1938, “Pö yelacen”, in Volapükagased pro Nedänapükans, page 1:

     Yel epasetiköl no ebinon bönik pro muf obsik.

     The past year has not been favorable for our movement.

   • 1938, “Ge lü Volapük!”, in Volapükagased pro Nedänapükans, pages 17-19:

     If xamobs yufapükis dabinöl, täno mutobs dasevön, das ons valik jenöfo binons geboviks pro disein.

     If we examine the existing auxiliary languages, we must admit that they are all indeed useful for the purpose.