Professional means relating to a person's work, especially work that requires special training.
His professional career started at Liverpool University.
professionallyadverb [ADVERB -ed/adjective]
...a professionally-qualified architect.
The opening months of 1987 were difficult, personally and professionally.
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Professional people have jobs that require advanced education or training.
...highly qualified professional people like doctors and engineers.
Synonyms: qualified, trained, skilled, white-collar More Synonyms of professional
Professional is also a noun.
My father wanted me to become a professional and have more stability.
3. adjective
You use professional to describe people who do a particular thing to earn money rather than as a hobby.
This has been my worst time for injuries since I started as a professional footballer.
The veteran golfer has played in every Major Championship since he turned professional.
Professional is also a noun.
He had been a professional since March 1985.
professionallyadverb [ADVERB after verb]
By age 16 he was playing professionally with bands in Greenwich Village.
4. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Professional sports are played for money rather than as a hobby.
...an art student who had played professional football for a short time.
5. adjective
If you say that something that someone does or produces is professional, you approve of it because you think that it is of a very high standard.
[approval]
They run it with a truly professional but personal touch.
Professional is also a noun.
...a dedicated professional who worked harmoniously with the cast and crew.
professionallyadverb [ADVERB with verb]
These tickets have been produced very professionally.
6. See also semi-professional
More Synonyms of professional
professional in British English
(prəˈfɛʃənəl)
adjective
1.
of, relating to, suitable for, or engaged in as a profession
2.
engaging in an activity for gain or as a means of livelihood
3.
a.
extremely competent in a job, etc
b.
(of a piece of work or anything performed) produced with competence or skill
4.
undertaken or performed for gain or by people who are paid
noun
5.
a person who belongs to or engages in one of the professions
6.
a person who engages for his or her livelihood in some activity also pursued by amateurs
7.
a person who engages in an activity with great competence
8.
an expert player of a game who gives instruction, esp to members of a club by whom he or she is hired
Derived forms
professionally (proˈfessionally)
adverb
professional in American English
(proʊˈfɛʃənəl; prəˈfɛʃənəl)
adjective
1.
of, engaged in, or worthy of the high standards of a profession
2. US
designating or of a school, esp. a graduate school, offering instruction in a profession
3.
earning one's living from an activity, such as a sport, not normally thought of as an occupation
4.
engaged in by professional players
professional hockey
5.
engaged in a specified occupation for pay or as a means of livelihood
a professional writer
6.
being such in the manner of one practicing a profession
a professional hatemonger
noun
7.
a person practicing a profession
8.
a.
a person who engages in some art, sport, etc. for money, esp. as a means of livelihood, rather than as a hobby
b.
pro2 (sense 3)
9.
a person who does something with great skill
Derived forms
professionally (proˈfessionally)
adverb
Examples of 'professional' in a sentence
professional
Maartens had remarked that they needed to take a look at his professional life.
Val McDermid THE LAST TEMPTATION (2002)
However, my sympathy didn't override my professional ethics.
Val McDermid DEAD BEAT (2002)
He kept saying he wanted to get to know me better before he would consider any professional liaison.
Val McDermid THE LAST TEMPTATION (2002)
I struggled years for technical expertise, professional accomplishment.
Jack Kerley THE HUNDREDTH MAN (2002)
In other languages
professional
British English: professional /prəˈfɛʃənl/ ADJECTIVE
workProfessional means relating to a person's work, especially work that requires special training.
His professional career started in a city law firm
American English: professional
Arabic: حِرَفِيّ
Brazilian Portuguese: profissional
Chinese: 专业的
Croatian: profesionalan
Czech: profesionální
Danish: professionel
Dutch: professioneel
European Spanish: profesional
Finnish: ammattimainen
French: professionnel
German: professionell
Greek: επαγγελματικός
Italian: professionale
Japanese: 職業的な
Korean: 직업적인
Norwegian: profesjonell
Polish: profesjonalny
European Portuguese: profissional
Romanian: profesional
Russian: профессиональный
Latin American Spanish: profesional
Swedish: professionell
Thai: เกี่ยวกับอาชีพ
Turkish: profesyonel
Ukrainian: професійний
Vietnamese: lành nghề
British English: professional /prəˈfɛʃənl/ NOUN
A professional is a person who belongs to or engages in one of the professions.
My father wanted me to become a professional and have more stability.
American English: professional
Arabic: مُحْتَرِف
Brazilian Portuguese: profissional
Chinese: 专业人员
Croatian: profesionalac
Czech: profesionál
Danish: professionel
Dutch: professional
European Spanish: profesional
Finnish: ammattilainen
French: professionnel
German: Fachmann
Greek: επαγγελματίας
Italian: professionista
Japanese: 専門家
Korean: 전문가
Norwegian: fagmann
Polish: profesjonalista
European Portuguese: profissional
Romanian: specialist
Russian: профессионал
Latin American Spanish: profesional
Swedish: proffs
Thai: ผู้เชี่ยวชาญในวิชาชีพ
Turkish: profesyonel
Ukrainian: професіонал
Vietnamese: một người hành nghề
British English: professional ADJECTIVE
not amateur You use professional to describe people who do a particular thing to earn money rather than as a hobby.
This has been my worst time for injuries since I started as a professional athlete.
American English: professional
Brazilian Portuguese: profissional
Chinese: 有关职业的
European Spanish: profesional
French: professionnel
German: professionell
Italian: professionista
Japanese: 専門職の
Korean: 직업의
European Portuguese: profissional
Latin American Spanish: profesional
All related terms of 'professional'
professional army
an army of trained soldiers
professional foul
In football , if a player commits a professional foul , they deliberately do something which is against the rules in order to prevent another player from scoring a goal .
professional sport
Sports are games such as football and basketball and other competitive leisure activities which need physical effort and skill .
semi-professional
Semi-professional sports players, musicians , and singers receive some money for playing their sport or for performing but they also have an ordinary job as well .
health professional
a person trained to work in any field of physical or mental health
professional advice
advice given by someone trained in a particular and relevant profession or job
professional career
A career is the job or profession that someone does for a long period of their life.
professional school
a postgraduate school or college which trains students for a particular profession
professional association
a body of persons engaged in the same profession , formed usually to control entry into the profession, maintain standards, and represent the profession in discussions with other bodies
professional misconduct
a violation of the rules or boundaries set by the governing body of a profession
allied health professional
a person who works in the allied health professions
Professional Golfers' Association
an association representing the interests of male professional golfers in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland
professional liability insurance
Professional liability insurance is insurance for a company or a professional person against claims or financial losses that may occur as a result of their negligence .