profession

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See also: Profession

English

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Etymology

From Middle English professioun, from Anglo-Norman professioun, Old French profession (“declaration of faith, religious vows, occupation”), from Latin professiō (“avowal, public declaration”), from the participle stem of profitērī (“to profess”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pɹəˈfɛʃən/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Audio (UK)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛʃən

Noun

profession (plural professions)

  1. Declaration of faith.
    1. (religion) A promise or vow made on entering a religious order.
      She died only a few years after her profession.
      • 1796, Matthew Lewis, The Monk, Folio Society, published 1985, page 27:
        Rosario was a young novice belonging to the monastery, who in three months intended to make his profession.
    2. The declaration of belief in the principles of a religion; hence, one's faith or religion.
      • 1780, William Cowper, letter, 12 June:
        I congratulate you upon the wisdom that withheld you from entering yourself a member of the Protestant Association it is likely to bring an odium upon the profession they make, that will not soon be forgotten.
    3. Any declaration of belief, faith or one's opinion, whether genuine or (as now often implied) pretended.
      Despite his continued professions of innocence, the court eventually sentenced him to five years.
      • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Presentiment”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. , volume II, London: Henry Colburn, , →OCLC, page 126:
        I scarcely know any thing that really interests me, and I would give a great deal not to be so quick-sighted as I am; it would be so pleasant to believe only a tithe of the professions that are made me.
  2. Professional occupation.
    1. An occupation, trade, craft, or activity in which one has a professed expertise in a particular area; a job, especially one requiring a high level of skill or training.
      My father was a barrister by profession.
      • 1886, George Bernard Shaw, Cashel Byron’s Profession. , London: The Modern Press, , →OCLC, page 4:
        “You are very idle, Cashel; I am sure of that. It is too provoking to throw away so much money every year for nothing. Besides, you must soon be thinking of a profession.” “I shall go into the army,” said Cashel. “It is the only profession for a gentleman.”
    2. (collective) The practitioners of such an occupation collectively.
      His conduct is against the established practices of the legal profession.

Derived terms

Translations

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin prōfessiōnem (accusative singular prōfessiōnem).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pʁɔ.fɛ.sjɔ̃/, /pʁɔ.fe.sjɔ̃/
  • Audio(file)

Noun

profession f (plural professions)

  1. profession, public declaration
    Toute profession d'incrédulité (...) sera poursuivie comme outrage à la religion et scandale pour les mœurs. (Proudhon, Révol. soc., 1852)
    1. profession, public declaration of faith
      D'une voix altérée, il prononça la profession de foi musulmane, comme pour se prémunir contre une tentation qu'il redoutait sans pouvoir la préciser. (Du Camp, Nil, 1854)
  2. profession, occupation, trade, craft, activity
    une profession lucrative.
  3. profession, practitioners of a profession collectively
    Ces décisions s’imposent à toute la profession, elles ne sont exécutoires qu’après approbation par le ministre.
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)

Derived terms

Related terms

Further reading

Old French

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin professio.

Noun

profession oblique singular, f (oblique plural professions, nominative singular profession, nominative plural professions)

  1. profession; declaration (usually of faith)

References

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