professionnel

Professionnel is a French adjective meaning "professional" and a noun meaning "a professional person" or someone who earns a living in a given occupation. As an adjective, it describes quality, standards, or conduct associated with a profession, as in expressions like niveau professionnel or comportement professionnel. As a noun, un professionnel refers to a person who practices a trade or occupation for payment, often implying formal training or recognized expertise, and it can contrast with amateur or non-professionnel in contexts such as sports, arts, or business. In everyday usage, the term signals professional status, a professional field, or a professional approach to work, education, or service.

Etymology: The word derives from Old French profession, from Latin professio, from profésus (to declare publicly), reflecting the historical notion of declaring one’s trade or obligations before others.

In culture and media, Le Professionnel is the title of a 1981 French action thriller directed by Georges Lautner and starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, commonly translated as "The Professional." The phrase appears in various contexts across French-speaking regions to denote professional standards, licensing, or career paths.

See also: professionalism, profession, professional.