Professional vs. Profession — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Updated on September 19, 2023
"Professional" refers to someone who is skilled and engaged in a specific profession, or to the quality of the work itself. "Profession" refers to the specific field or job that requires specialized education or training.
Difference Between Professional and Profession
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
"Professional" is an adjective or noun describing a person who belongs to a profession, or it refers to the caliber of work done. "Profession," on the other hand, denotes a specific type of job or career, usually requiring specialized education or skills. The professional is the one who practices the profession.
The word "Professional" can also imply a level of expertise, suggesting that the individual has undergone the necessary education and training for their field. A "profession," conversely, could be any type of occupation, although it commonly refers to fields that require specialized education and licensing.
In the context of behavior and ethics, "professional" often implies a code of conduct or ethical behavior that one adheres to in a professional setting. "Profession" doesn't carry this behavioral connotation; it strictly refers to the field or sector one is employed in.
"Professional" can be both a noun and an adjective depending on its usage. "Profession" is solely a noun. For example, one could say, "She is a professional" (noun) or "She has professional skills" (adjective). "Profession" is used as "She is in the medical profession."
When describing the quality of work, one might say the work is "professional," meaning it meets high standards. "Profession" doesn't describe the quality of work; it only categorizes the kind of work.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Both noun and adjective
Noun only
Denotation
A person or quality of work
A specific field or job
Specialization Required
Implies specialized skills or ethics
Indicates a specific field requiring skills
Behavior Connotation
Implies a code of conduct or ethics
No behavioral connotation
Quality Indicator
Can describe the quality of work
Does not indicate quality
Compare with Definitions
Professional
A person skilled in a particular profession.
He is a professional engineer.
Profession
A specific occupation requiring specialized education.
Medicine is a respected profession.
Professional
Work meeting high standards.
The project was executed in a professional manner.
Profession
Vowed religious life.
She took the profession of a nun.
Professional
Having specialized education or training.
He's a professional in the field of neuroscience.
Profession
The collective body of people in a particular occupation.
He joined the legal profession.
Professional
Adhering to an ethical code.
Her professional conduct was impeccable.
Profession
A declaration of belief or faith.
His profession of love was touching.
Professional
Paid as opposed to amateur.
She is a professional athlete.
Profession
An occupation, such as law, medicine, or engineering, that requires considerable training and specialized study.
Professional
A professional is a member of a profession or any person who earns a living from a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and skills necessary to perform their specific role within that profession.
Profession
An occupation for which you are paid.
Teaching is her profession.
Professional
Of, relating to, engaged in, or suitable for a profession
Lawyers, doctors, and other professional people.
Profession
A profession is an occupation founded upon specialized educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested objective counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain. Medieval and early modern tradition recognized only three professions: divinity, medicine, and law, which were called the learned professions.
Professional
Conforming to the standards of a profession
Professional behavior.
Profession
An occupation or career
"One of the highest compliments a child can pay a parent is to choose his or her profession" (Joan Nathan).
Professional
Engaging in a given activity as a source of livelihood or as a career
A professional writer.
Profession
The body of qualified persons in an occupation or field
Members of the teaching profession.
Professional
Performed by persons receiving pay
Professional football.
Profession
An act or instance of professing; a declaration.
Professional
Having or showing great skill; expert
A professional repair job.
Profession
An avowal of faith or belief.
Professional
A person following a profession, especially a learned profession.
Profession
A faith or belief
Believers of various professions.
Professional
One who earns a living in a given or implied occupation
Hired a professional to decorate the house.
Profession
Declaration of faith.
Professional
A skilled practitioner; an expert.
Profession
(religion) A promise or vow made on entering a religious order.
She died only a few years after her profession.
Professional
A person who belongs to a profession
Profession
The declaration of belief in the principles of a religion; hence, one's faith or religion.
Professional
A person who earns their living from a specified activity
Profession
Any declaration of belief, faith or one's opinion, whether genuine or (as now often implied) pretended.
Despite his continued professions of innocence, the court eventually sentenced him to five years.
Professional
A prostitute
Profession
Professional occupation.
Professional
A reputation known by name
Profession
An occupation, trade, craft, or activity in which one has a professed expertise in a particular area; a job, especially one requiring a high level of skill or training.
My father was a barrister by profession.
Professional
An expert
Profession
(collective) The practitioners of such an occupation collectively.
His conduct is against the established practices of the legal profession.
Professional
Of, pertaining to, or in accordance with the (usually high) standards of a profession.
Profession
The act of professing or claiming; open declaration; public avowal or acknowledgment; as, professions of friendship; a profession of faith.
A solemn vow, promise, and profession.
Professional
That is carried out for money, especially as a livelihood.
Profession
That which one professed; a declaration; an avowal; a claim; as, his professions are insincere.
The Indians quickly perceive the coincidence or the contradiction between professions and conduct.
Professional
(by extension) Expert.
Profession
That of which one professed knowledge; the occupation, if not mechanical, agricultural, or the like, to which one devotes one's self; the business which one professes to understand, and to follow for subsistence; calling; vocation; employment; as, the profession of arms; the profession of a clergyman, lawyer, or physician; the profession of lecturer on chemistry.
Hi tried five or six professions in turn.
Professional
Of or pertaining to a profession, or calling; conforming to the rules or standards of a profession; following a profession; as, professional knowledge; professional conduct.
Profession
The collective body of persons engaged in a calling; as, the profession distrust him.
Professional
Engaged in by professionals; as, a professional race; - opposed to amateur.
Profession
The act of entering, or becoming a member of, a religious order.
Professional
A person who prosecutes anything professionally, or for a livelihood, and not in the character of an amateur; a professional worker.
Profession
The body of people in a learned occupation;
The news spread rapidly through the medical community
Professional
A person engaged in one of the learned professions
Profession
An occupation requiring special education (especially in the liberal arts or sciences)
Professional
An athlete who plays for pay
Profession
An open avowal (true or false) of some belief or opinion;
A profession of disagreement
Professional
An authority qualified to teach apprentices
Profession
Affirmation of acceptance of some religion or faith;
A profession of Christianity
Professional
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
Professional
Of or relating to or suitable as a profession;
Professional organizations
A professional field such as law
Professional
Characteristic of or befitting a profession or one engaged in a profession;
Professional conduct
Professional ethics
A thoroughly professional performance
Professional
Of or relating to a profession;
We need professional advice
Professional training
Professional equipment for his new office
Professional
Engaged in by members of a profession;
Professional occupations include medicine and the law and teaching
Common Curiosities
Is Profession a noun or an adjective?
It is a noun.
Is Professional a noun or an adjective?
It can be both.
What does Professional mean?
Refers to someone skilled in a particular profession or the quality of work.
Does Profession refer to behavior?
No, it refers to the field of work.
What does Profession mean?
Refers to a specific occupation requiring specialized skills or education.
Is every job a Profession?
Not necessarily, professions usually require specialized skills or training.
Can Professional refer to behavior?
Yes, it can imply a code of ethics or conduct.
Can Professional describe the quality of work?
Yes, as in "professional standards."
Can Profession describe the quality of work?
No, it categorizes the type of work.
Is every Professional involved in a Profession?
Generally, yes.
Can you have a Profession without being Professional?
Technically yes, but it's generally considered negative.
Does Professional imply specialized training?
Yes, it often does.
Does Profession require specialized training?
Generally, yes.
Can you be a Professional without a Profession?
No, the term generally implies involvement in a specific profession.
Are all members of a Profession also Professionals?
Ideally, yes, although the level of professionalism may vary.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Dryer vs. Drier
Next Comparison
Annotation vs. ConnotationAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
