professional

Everyday

1. Doing a job or sport for money, as your work, not just for fun: "a professional footballer". tree →
2. Doing a job that needs special training, like a doctor, teacher or lawyer. tree →
3. Done very well and carefully, as an expert would do it. tree →
4. As a noun, a person who does a job as their work or with great skill. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life, professionals such as doctors, nurses, firefighters and plumbers help us; in safety lessons you learn to get help from a professional. In sport, professional players are paid, while amateurs play for fun. Phrases: a professional player, turn professional, professional help, look professional.

Examples

• My cousin wants to be a professional basketball player. tree →
• A doctor is a professional who has trained for many years. tree →
• The poster looks very professional. tree →
• If a gas pipe leaks, call a professional. tree →
• She turned professional when she was eighteen. tree →
• The teacher is a true professional. tree →
• Professional footballers train every day. tree →
• It is for professional students of folk-lore to study the original documents for themselves. tree →

Note

Spelling: one "f" and two "s": professional. The opposite of a paid player is "amateur". The noun is "profession" (a job that needs training). In safety: do not try to fix electricity or gas yourself; that is a job for a professional. "Pro" is a short, informal word for professional.