1. Engaged in a profession or engaging in as a profession or means of livelihood
   "professional theatre"; "professional football"; "a professional cook"; "professional actors and athletes"; "the professional man or woman possesses distinctive qualifications"; "began her professional career after the Olympics"
    
2. Meeting high standards of competence or skill
   "a thoroughly professional performance"; "professional conduct"; "professional ethics"
    
3. Of or relating to a profession
   "professional equipment for his new office"; "professional organizations"; "a professional field such as law"; "we need professional advice"; "professional training"
    
4. Engaged in by members of a profession
   "professional occupations include medicine and the law and teaching"

1. A person engaged in one of the learned professions
   "As a professional person, she was expected to adhere to a code of ethics";
   - professional person
    
2. An athlete who plays for pay
   "The tennis player turned professional after winning the junior championship";
   - pro
    
3. An authority qualified to teach apprentices
   "The professional carpenter took on several apprentices to pass on his craft";
   - master

Derived forms: professionals

See also: nonrecreational, paid, professed, white-collar

Type of: actor, athlete, authority, doer, jock [N. Amer, informal], worker

Antonym: nonprofessional, unprofessional

Part of: professional organisation [Brit], professional organization

Encyclopedia: Professional