pɹəˈfɛʃənəl pɹəˈfɛʃənəl engaged in a profession or engaging in as a profession or means of livelihood the professional man or woman possesses distinctive qualifications began her professional career after the Olympics professional theater professional football a professional cook professional actors and athletes characteristic of or befitting a profession or one engaged in a profession professional conduct professional ethics a thoroughly professional performance engaged in by members of a profession professional occupations include medicine and the law and teaching of or relating to a profession we need professional advice professional training professional equipment for his new office of or relating to or suitable as a profession professional organizations a professional field such as law an authority qualified to teach apprentices a person engaged in one of the learned professions an athlete who plays for pay