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pro

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈprəʊ/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/proʊ/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(prō; prep. prō, Eng. prō)

Inflections of 'pro' (n): npl: pros

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
pro1 /proʊ/USA pronunciation   adv., adj., n., pl. pros. 
adv. 
  1. in favor of an idea, proposal, etc.— adj. favorable:the pro side of the argument.

n. [countable]
  1. the argument, position, or voter for something:the pros and cons.
Compare con1.
pro2 /proʊ/USA pronunciation   adj., n., pl. pros. 
adj. 
  1. Informal Termsprofessional:He turned pro last year.

n. [countable]
  1. a professional:She's a real pro; she won't let you down.

pro-1 ,[prefix.]
  1. pro- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "forward, forward movement or location;
    advancement'':proceed; prominent;promote;propose.
  2. pro- is also attached to roots and words and means "bringing into existence'':procreate; produce.
  3. pro- is also attached to roots and words and means "in place of'':pronoun.
  4. pro- is also used to form adjectives that have the meaning "favoring the group, interests, course of action, etc., named by the noun;
    calling for the interests named by the noun'':pro- + choice → pro-choice (= in favor of allowing a choice to be made regarding abortions);pro- + war → prowar (= in favor of fighting a war).

pro-2 ,[prefix.]
  1. pro- comes from Greek, and has the meaning "before, beforehand, in front of'':proboscis; prophylactic;prothesis.
  2. pro- is also attached to a word and means "primitive or early form'':prodrug; prosimian.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
pro1  (prō),USA pronunciation adv., n., pl. pros. 
adv. 
  1. in favor of a proposition, opinion, etc.

n. 
  1. a proponent of an issue;
    a person who upholds the affirmative in a debate.
  2. an argument, consideration, vote, etc., for something. Cf. con 1.
  • Latin prō (prep) in favor of, for; akin to per-, Greek pró, Sanskrit pra
  • Middle English 1350–1400

pro2  (prō),USA pronunciation adj., n., pl. pros. [Informal.]
adj. 
  1. Informal Termsprofessional.

n. 
  1. Informal Termsprofessional.
  2. the pros, the professional athletic leagues, as of football, baseball, or basketball:He's sure to be signed by the pros.
  • shortened form 1840–50

pro3  (prō),USA pronunciation n., pl. pros. [Slang.]
  1. Drugs, Slang Termsprophylactic (def. 5).
  • shortened form

pro  (prō; Eng. prō),USA pronunciation prep. [Latin.]
  1. Foreign Termsfor.

PRO, 
  1. public relations officer.
Also, P.R.O. 
Pro, [Biochem.]
  1. Biochemistryproline.

pro-1 ,
  1. a prefix indicating favor for some party, system, idea, etc., without identity with the group (pro-British;
    pro-Communist;
    proslavery    ), having anti- as its opposite.
  2. a prefix of priority in space or time having especially a meaning of advancing or projecting forward or outward, and also used to indicate substitution, attached widely to stems not used as words:provision; proceed;produce;protract;
    procathedral;
    proconsul.
  • Latin prō-, pro-, combining form representing prō pro1

pro-2 ,
  1. a prefix identical in meaning with pro- 1, occurring in words borrowed from Greek (prodrome) or formed of Greek (and occasionally Latin) elements.
  • Greek, combining form of pró for, before; see pro1

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
pro /prəʊ/ adv
  1. in favour of a motion, issue, course of action, etc
    Compare anti
 prep
  1. in favour of
 n ( pl pros)
  1. (usually plural) an argument or vote in favour of a proposal or motion

See con2Etymology: from Latin prō (prep) in favour of
pro /prəʊ/ n ( pl pros)
  1. informal
    short for professional
 adj
  1. informal
    short for professional
Etymology: 19th Century: by shortening
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
PRO abbreviation for
  1. Public Records Office
  2. public relations officer
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
pro- prefix
  1. in favour of; supporting: pro-Chinese
  2. acting as a substitute for: proconsul, pronoun
Etymology: from Latin prō (adv and prep). In compound words borrowed from Latin, prō- indicates: forward, out (project); forward and down (prostrate); away from a place (prodigal); onward in time or space (proceed); extension outwards (propagate); before in time or place (provide, protect); on behalf of (procure); acting as a substitute for (pronominal); and sometimes intensive force (promiscuous)
pro- prefix
  1. before in time or position; anterior; forward: prophase, procephalic, prognathous
Etymology: from Greek pro (prep) before (in time, position, rank, etc)
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'pro' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
anaphylaxis - aspro - bonus issue - Cambodia - chlorpromazine - con - demote - dividend - Donbas - for - improve - James II - Leavenworth - meprobamate - Newman - p. - per pro - Pétain - portray - pp - prion - pros and cons - pro- - proactive - pro-am - probiotic - problem - pro bono publico - procaine - proceed - pro-choice - prochronism - proclivity - proconsul - procrastinate - procreate - procure - prodigal - prodigy - produce - proem - profane - profess - proffer - proficient - profile - profligate - pro forma - Advanced Placement Program - amyl propionate

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