pro forma
See also: proforma
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin prō fōrmā.
Pronunciation
Audio (US): (file)
Adjective
pro forma (not comparable)
- Occurring, undertaken, or performed as a perfunctory matter, in the interest of form, or for the sake of formality.
- For quotations using this term, see Citations:pro forma.
- Of or relating to a document of form, especially an invoice sent in advance.
- Showing projected costs, liabilities, etc., especially as a result of an expected action or situation. (of a financial document)
Translations
for the sake of form only
Adverb
pro forma (not comparable)
- Undertaken or performed as a perfunctory matter, in the interest of form, or for the sake of politeness.
- He greeted her pro forma.
Noun
pro forma (plural pro formas)
See also
Anagrams
German
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin prō fōrmā.
Pronunciation
Adjective
pro forma (indeclinable, predicative only)
Adverb
pro forma
Italian
Alternative forms
- pro-forma (alternative spelling)
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from Latin prō fōrmā (literally “for form”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /pro‿ˈfor.ma/
- Rhymes: -orma
- Hyphenation: pro‧fór‧ma
Adjective
pro forma (invariable)
- pro forma (occurring, undertaken, or performed as a perfunctory matter, in the interest of form, or for the sake of formality)
Adverb
pro forma
- pro forma (as a perfunctory matter, in the interest of form, or for the sake of politeness)
- 1884, “Rassegna bibliografica [Bibliographic review]”, in Archivio storico italiano [Italian historical archive], volume 14, Florence: G[iovan] P[ietro] Vieusseux, Edouard Rott: La lutte pour les Alpes, page 73:
- Il Senato in tale occasione si limitò […] a chiedere, pro forma, consigli a Parigi
- On that occasion, the Senate only asked, pro forma, Paris for advice
Noun
pro forma m (invariable)
- formality (something said or done as a matter of form)
- 1828 April 30, “Inghilterra: Londra 17 aprile”, in Gazzetta di Milano, Camera de' pari, page 2:
- Laonde […] un individuo può prendere il sacramento […] prima della sua elezione, come pro-forma
- Thus, […] an individual can take the sacrament […] before their election, as a formality
References
- pro forma in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
Latin
Etymology
From prō (“for”) + the ablative singular of fōrma (“form, figure”). Literally meaning "for form" or "for the sake of form".
Pronunciation
- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [ˈproː ˈfoːr.maː]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [ˈprɔː ˈfɔr.ma]
Adverb
- pro forma, for the sake of form only
- Synonyms: dicis causā, dicis ergō, dicis grātiā
Polish
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from Latin prō fōrmā.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /prɔˈfɔr.ma/
Audio: (file) - Rhymes: -ɔrma
- Syllabification: [please specify syllabification manually]
- Homophone: proforma
Adjective
pro forma (not comparable, no derived adverb)
- (idiomatic, literary, postpositive) pro forma (for the sake of form only)
Adverb
pro forma (not comparable)
- (idiomatic, literary, postpositive) pro forma (undertaken or performed as a perfunctory matter, in the interest of form, or for the sake of politeness)
Further reading
- pro forma I in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
- pro forma II in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
- pro forma in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Swedish
Adverb
- pro forma (for the sake of form only)