Phrase guide

quid pro quo

noun · 7 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.

  • UK: /ˌkwɪd.pɹəʊˈkwəʊ/
  • US: /ˌkwɪd.pɹoʊˈkwoʊ/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Something which is understood as something else; an equivocation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Substitution of one drug for another.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Something which is offered or asked for in exchange for something else.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • To deny that the arrangement was a quid pro quo would be laughably disingenuous.
  • It was quite obviously a quid pro quo arrangement.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A usually non-monetary exchange transaction, or series or process of exchange transactions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A usually non-monetary exchange transaction, or series or process of exchange transactions.

An equal or fair transaction or series of process of exchange transactions; tit for tat.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

Sexual harassment in which a person in a workplace implicitly or explicitly requires sexual favours in exchange for something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

something for something; that which a party receives (or is promised) in return for something he does or gives or promises

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: quid

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: retainer, consideration

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin quid prō quō (literally “something for something”).

Across languages

Translations

24 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 模稜 /模棱 (móléng) — something understood as another
  • Chinese Mandarin: 含糊 — something understood as another
  • Finnish: epäselvyys — something understood as another
  • Finnish: väärinkäsitys — something understood as another
  • French: quiproquo — something understood as another
  • Hebrew: דבר כנגד דבר (davár kenéged davár) — something understood as another
  • Italian: qui pro quo — something understood as another
  • Italian: quiproquò — something understood as another
  • Italian: do ut des — something understood as another
  • Portuguese: quiproquó — something understood as another
  • Russian: квипрокво́ (kviprokvó) — something understood as another
  • Russian: кипроко́ (kiprokó) — something understood as another
  • Spanish: quid pro quo — something understood as another
  • Finnish: vaihto — substitution of one drug for another
  • Arabic: واحدة بواحدة — something offered or asked in exchange for something else
  • Finnish: vastike — something offered or asked in exchange for something else
  • French: contrepartie — something offered or asked in exchange for something else
  • French: donnant-donnant — something offered or asked in exchange for something else
  • Polish: coś za coś — something offered or asked in exchange for something else
  • Libyan Arabic: أعطيني نعطيك — (usually non-monetary) exchange transaction
  • Finnish: vaihtokauppa — (usually non-monetary) exchange transaction
  • Latin: dō ut dēs — (usually non-monetary) exchange transaction
  • Spanish: quid pro quo — (usually non-monetary) exchange transaction
  • Swedish: tjänster och gentjänster — fair or equal exchange transaction