Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - professional

~1 adj 1 »JOB« only before noun, no comparative connected with a job that needs special education and training  (What professional qualifications does he have? | on the basis of professional advice) 2 »WELL TRAINED« showing that someone has been well trained and is good at their work  (This business plan looks very professional. | a more professional approach to work) 3 »PAID« no comparative doing a job, sport or activity for money  (a professional tennis player | a professional army | turn professional (=start to do something as a job))  (- compare amateur1 (1)) 4 »TEAM/EVENT« no comparative done by or connected with people who are paid  (Jim's the manager of a professional hockey team. | The golf tournament is a professional event.)  (- compare amateur1 (1)) 5 professional person/man/woman etc someone who works in a profession, or who has an important position in a company or business  (We'd prefer to rent the house to a professional couple.) 6 a professional liar/complainer etc humorous someone who lies or complains too much 7 professional foul BrE a foul (=a rule broken in a sport) done deliberately to gain some advantage ~2 n 1 someone who earns money by doing a job, sport, or activity that many other people do just for enjoyment  (Hurd signed as a professional in 1978.)  (- compare amateur2) 2 someone who works in a job that requires special education and training  (the relationship between health professionals and patients) 3 someone who has a lot of experience and does something very skilfully  (You read that like a real professional.) 4 tennis/golf/swimming etc professional someone who is very good at a sport and is employed by a private club to teach its members