noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/pɹəˈfɛʃənəˌlɪzəm/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:P R AH0 F EH1 SH AH0 N AH0 L IH2 Z AH0 M
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The status, methods, character or standards expected of a professional or of a professional organization, such as reliability, discretion, evenhandedness, and fair play.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The use of professionals rather than amateurs in any sport etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
the expertness characteristic of a professional person
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: expertness, expertise
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English professional Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English professionalism From professional + -ism.
Across languages
Translations
31 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Czech:
profesionalismus
— status or methods of a professional
Finnish:
ammattimaisuus
— status or methods of a professional
French:
professionnalisme
— status or methods of a professional
Galician:
profesionalismo
— status or methods of a professional
Georgian:
პროფესიონალიზმი
(ṗropesionalizmi)
— status or methods of a professional
German:
Professionalismus
— status or methods of a professional
Hungarian:
szakértelem
— status or methods of a professional
Hungarian:
szakszerűség
— status or methods of a professional
Hungarian:
szakmaiság
— status or methods of a professional
Hungarian:
hozzáértés
— status or methods of a professional
Hungarian:
professzionalizmus
— status or methods of a professional
Hungarian:
profizmus
— status or methods of a professional
Indonesian:
profesionalisme
— status or methods of a professional
Italian:
professionismo
— status or methods of a professional
Māori:
ngaiotanga
— status or methods of a professional
Polish:
profesjonalizm
— status or methods of a professional
Portuguese:
profissionalismo
— status or methods of a professional
Romanian:
profesionalism
— status or methods of a professional
Russian:
профессионали́зм
(professionalízm)
— status or methods of a professional
Serbo-Croatian:
profesionalizam
— status or methods of a professional
Slovak:
profesionálnosť
— status or methods of a professional
Slovak:
odbornosť
— status or methods of a professional
Spanish:
profesionalidad
— status or methods of a professional
Swedish:
professionalism
— status or methods of a professional
Thai:
ความเป็นมืออาชีพ
(kwāam-pen-mʉʉ-āa-chîip)
— status or methods of a professional
Turkish:
profesyonellik
— status or methods of a professional
Ukrainian:
професіоналі́зм
(profesionalízm)
— status or methods of a professional
Finnish:
ammattilaisuus
— use of professionals
Indonesian:
profesionalisme
— use of professionals
Italian:
professionismo
— use of professionals
Russian:
профессионали́зм
(professionalízm)
— use of professionals
