P.R.O.

pro¹ «proh», adverb, adjective, noun, plural pros.

–adv., adj.

in favor of; for: »

to argue a question pro and con (adv.). Being pro one usually meant being anti the other (New Yorker) (adj.).

–n.

1. a reason in favor of. The pros and cons of a question are the arguments for and against it.

2. a) a person who votes in favor of something. b) an affirmative vote.

╂[abstracted from pro and con, or independent use of pro-¹]

pro² «proh», noun, plural pros, adjective.

Informal. professional: »

Television also has its circus of seasoned pros whom one sees week after week (Listener). Early in his pro career Moore had difficulty getting fights in this country (New York Times).

pro³ «proh», preposition.

Latin. before; for; forth.

pro-¹,

prefix.

1. forward, as in proceed, project.

2. forth; out, as in prolong, proclaim, prolapse.

3. on the side of; in favor of; in behalf of, as in pro-British, proclerical.

4. in place of; acting as, as in »

pronoun, proconsul.

╂[< Latin prō-, prefix, and prō, preposition, or adverb]

pro-²,

prefix.

1. before; preceding; prior to, as in »

prologue, proinsulin, proseminar.

2. in front of; anterior, as in »

prothorax, proscenium.

╂[< Greek pro- < pró before, forward]

PRO (no periods) or P.R.O.,

Public Relations Officer: »

Those who get in his way…end up as small-time P.R.O.s at remote Engineer Corps posts (New Yorker). Churches throughout Surrey were “gratifyingly packed,” according to the Archbishop of Canterbury's PRO (Punch).

Usage Originally PRO or P.R.O. was used in the armed forces for an officer in charge of public relations. Since World War II the use of the abbreviation has become extended, especially in Great Britain, to any person in the field of public relations. In the United States the variant PR man is frequently used.

P.R.O.,

Public Record Office (of Great Britain).