PROFESSION

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does profession mean? 

• PROFESSION (noun)
  The noun PROFESSION has 4 senses:

1. the body of people in a learned occupation

2. an occupation requiring special education (especially in the liberal arts or sciences)

3. an open avowal (true or false) of some belief or opinion

4. affirmation of acceptance of some religion or faith

  Familiarity information: PROFESSION used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PROFESSION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The body of people in a learned occupation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Context example:

they formed a community of scientists

Hypernyms ("profession" is a kind of...):

occupational group; vocation (a body of people doing the same kind of work)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "profession"):

bar; legal community; legal profession (the body of individuals qualified to practice law in a particular jurisdiction)

health profession (the body of individuals whose work helps to maintain the health of their clients)

business community; businessmen (the body of individuals who manage businesses)

community of scholars (the body of individuals holding advanced academic degrees)

economics profession (the body of professional economists)

priesthood (the body of ordained religious practitioners)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An occupation requiring special education (especially in the liberal arts or sciences)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("profession" is a kind of...):

business; job; line; line of work; occupation (the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "profession"):

learned profession (one of the three professions traditionally believed to require advanced learning and high principles)

literature (the profession or art of a writer)

architecture (the profession of designing buildings and environments with consideration for their esthetic effect)

education (the profession of teaching (especially at a school or college or university))

journalism (the profession of reporting or photographing or editing news stories for one of the media)

politics (the profession devoted to governing and to political affairs)

engineering (the practical application of technical and scientific knowledge to commerce or industry)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An open avowal (true or false) of some belief or opinion

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

professing; profession

Context example:

a profession of disagreement

Hypernyms ("profession" is a kind of...):

affirmation; avouchment; avowal (a statement asserting the existence or the truth of something)

Derivation:

profess (admit (to a wrongdoing))

Sense 4

Meaning:

Affirmation of acceptance of some religion or faith

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

a profession of Christianity

Hypernyms ("profession" is a kind of...):

affirmation ((religion) a solemn declaration that serves the same purpose as an oath (if an oath is objectionable to the person on religious or ethical grounds))

Derivation:

profess (take vows, as in religious order)

 Context examples 

During two years I have had three consultations and one small job, and that is absolutely all that my profession has brought me.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I should think there never can have been a man who enjoyed his profession more than Mr. Creakle did.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

His professions and his proposals did him no service.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

A man might represent the county with such an estate; a man might escape a profession and represent the county.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

"What are you? What is your profession?"

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You observe the spatulate finger-ends, Watson, which is common to both professions?

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But then, is not it the same with many other professions, perhaps most other?

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

They are in the same profession, you know, only in different lines.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Also called: Careers, Health professions, Medical occupations, Medical professions

(Health Occupations, Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Even Frederick, my eldest son, you see, who will perhaps inherit as considerable a landed property as any private man in the county, has his profession.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)