A type of job that usually requires special education, training, and qualifications, such as law, medicine, or teaching. It can also mean all the people who work in that type of job.
From Latin *professio* meaning 'public declaration', from *profitērī* 'to declare openly'. It originally referred to publicly declaring one’s occupation or faith.
A profession began as something you 'professed'—you publicly declared your role and duties. That’s why many professions still have oaths or codes of ethics; they’re formal promises about how you’ll use your skills. The word reminds us that expertise is supposed to come with responsibility, not just status.
Many professions were historically closed to women or segregated by gender, with women concentrated in lower-status, lower-paid roles. Language around 'the professions' often reflected male default assumptions.
Avoid assuming a default gender for any profession; use gender-neutral titles unless a specific person’s self-identified gender is relevant.
["occupation","field","career"]
Women have been instrumental in opening professions such as law, medicine, and engineering to broader participation, often through sustained legal and social advocacy.
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