profession English · revision 7530

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1200|origins=la profiteor}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pɹəˈfɛʃ.ən/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English professiun, [[bor|fro|profession]] and directly Latin [[m|la|professio|t=public declaration; avowed occupation]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from professus, past participle of [[m|la|profiteor|alt=profitērī|t=to declare openly]] (see [[profess]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The vows of a person entering a religious order: probably before 1200, in the ''Ancrene Riwle'';^(Barnhart 1988) before 1225 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Any solemn declaration or vow is from the mid-14th century (1362).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) An occupation one professes to be skilled in, a calling, is from the early 15th century in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) and an occupation requiring professed skill or training from 1541 in Barnhart.^(Barnhart 1988) The body of persons in an occupation is from 1610.^(Etymonline) 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.^(Etymonline) As a euphemism for prostitution, compare ''the oldest profession'', it is from 1888.^(Etymonline) In Scots a profession was also a religious denomination.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1200 – religious vows.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1362 – a solemn declaration.^(OED 1989)

+ * early 15th century – a calling.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1541 – a trained occupation.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1610 – a body of practitioners.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[occupation]] needing long training and specialized study, such as [[law]] or [[medicine]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The body of qualified people in such an occupation.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A [[declaration]] of belief, faith or feeling.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[professionless]]

+ * [[nonprofession]]

+ * [[professional]]

+ * [[learned profession]]

+ * [[world's oldest profession]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[profess]]

+ * [[professor]]

+ * [[confess]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}