profesionálka

Profesionálka is a term used in Czech and Slovak to denote a woman who performs at a professional level in a given field. It is formed from the masculine noun profesionál with the feminine suffix -ka and is commonly heard in everyday language and media. The word signals that the person earns a living from the activity or competes at a professional standard.

The term appears across domains, especially in sports, arts, and publicly visible professions. In sports, it contrasts with amatérka (female amateur). In other areas, it can describe a professional woman in music, theater, science, business, or journalism. In formal writing, speakers may alternatively use neutral phrases such as profesionální žena or specify the occupation (profesionál v oblasti X), depending on style guidelines.

Linguistic notes: profesionálka is a gendered noun, reflecting how Czech and Slovak mark gender in occupational terms. While widely understood, the word can carry evaluative or stereotypical connotations for some readers. In contemporary usage, some contexts prefer gender-neutral language or direct occupational titles without gender marking.

Examples: profesinalka ve fotbale, profesionálka v tenisu, profesionálka v hudbě. The term remains informal enough to be common in media and everyday speech, yet recognizable in official contexts when describing a female professional. See also: amatér, profesionál, gendered occupational terms.