Meanings
adjectivepro forma (not comparable)
- not comparableOccurring, 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.
- not comparableOf or relating to a document of form, especially an invoice sent in advance.
- not comparableShowing projected costs, liabilities, etc., especially as a result of an expected action or situation. (of a financial document)
adverbpro forma (not comparable)
- not comparableUndertaken or performed as a perfunctory matter, in the interest of form, or for the sake of politeness.
He greeted her pro forma.
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectivedone or produced as a formality only
Similar
adverbin a set manner without serious attention; as a formality
Similar
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinprō fōrmā
- Latinprō fōrmā
- Englishpro forma
Borrowed from Latin prō fōrmā.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch voor de vorm
- voor de vormfor the sake of form only
Finnish muodon vuoksi
- muodon vuoksifor the sake of form only
French pour la forme
- pour la formefor the sake of form only
German pro forma, der Form wegen
- pro formafor the sake of form only
- der Form wegenfor the sake of form only
- der Form halberfor the sake of form only
Italian pro forma
- pro formafor the sake of form only
Japanese 形式的な
- 形式的な (keishikiteki na)for the sake of form only
Polish pro forma
- pro formafor the sake of form only
Cite this entry
APA
pro forma. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pro%20forma
MLA
“pro forma.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pro%20forma. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pro forma,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pro%20forma.
Source: pro forma on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.