profession

Pronunciation

• IPA: /pɹəˈfɛʃ.ən/^[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English professiun, borrowed from Old French profession and directly Latin professio (“public declaration; avowed occupation”),^[2][3][4] from professus, past participle of profitērī (“to declare openly”) (see profess).^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The vows of a person entering a religious order: probably before 1200, in the Ancrene Riwle;^[2] before 1225 in the OED.^[5]

Semantic evolution

Any solemn declaration or vow is from the mid-14th century (1362).^[3][5] An occupation one professes to be skilled in, a calling, is from the early 15th century in Etymonline,^[3] and an occupation requiring professed skill or training from 1541 in Barnhart.^[2] The body of persons in an occupation is from 1610.^[3] The Century Dictionary noted that theology, law and medicine were formerly known as the professions, and that the word implies attainments in special knowledge as distinct from mere skill.^[3] As a euphemism for prostitution, compare the oldest profession, it is from 1888.^[3] In Scots a profession was also a religious denomination.^[6]

Timeline

• before 1200 – religious vows.^[2]
• 1362 – a solemn declaration.^[5]
• early 15th century – a calling.^[3]
• 1541 – a trained occupation.^[2]
• 1610 – a body of practitioners.^[3]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. An occupation needing long training and specialized study, such as law or medicine.
2. The body of qualified people in such an occupation.
3. A declaration of belief, faith or feeling.

Word family

• professionless
• nonprofession
• professional
• learned profession
• world's oldest profession

Related words

• profess
• professor
• confess

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
5. ^ a b c Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)