professionalization

UK/pɹəˌfɛʃn̩əlʌɪˈzeɪʃən/

noun

The act or process of professionalizing, or becoming professional.

Similar
professionalisation
OriginEnglish professionalize →
UncommonFirst used 20th c.Scrabble 33
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Meanings

nounprofessionalization (countable and uncountable, plural professionalizations)

plural professionalizations · alternative professionalisation

  1. countableuncountableThe act or process of professionalizing, or becoming professional.First known use 20th c.

    Their relative success formalized the idea of law enforcement for payment, and helped accelerate the professionalization of policing.

    2012, Faramerz Dabhoiwala, The Origins of Sex, Penguin, published 2013, page 64

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe social process whereby people come to engage in an activity for pay or as a means of livelihood

Similar
professionalisation
Broader
social process

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Englishprofessional
  2. Englishprofessionalize
  3. Englishprofessionalization

From professionalize + -ation.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian професионализа́ция
  • професионализа́ция (profesionalizácija)act pr process
Catalan professionalització
  • professionalitzacióact pr process
Dutch professionalisering, professionalisatie
  • professionaliseringact pr process
  • professionalisatieact pr process
Esperanto profesiigo, profesionaligo
  • profesiigoact pr process
  • profesionaligoact pr process
Finnish ammatillistuminen, ammattimaistuminen
  • ammatillistuminenact pr process
  • ammattimaistuminenact pr process
  • professionaalistuminenact pr process
French professionnalisation
  • professionnalisationact pr process
German Professionalisierung
  • Professionalisierungact pr process
Greek επαγγελματοποίηση
  • επαγγελματοποίηση (epangelmatopoíisi)act pr process
Hungarian professzionalizáció
  • professzionalizációact pr process
Italian professionalizzazione
  • professionalizzazioneact pr process
Norwegian profesjonalisering
  • profesjonaliseringact pr process
Polish profesjonalizacja
  • profesjonalizacjaact pr process
Portuguese profissionalização
  • profissionalizaçãoact pr process
Russian профессионализация
  • профессионализация (professionalizácija)act pr process
Slovak profesionalizácia
  • profesionalizáciaact pr process
Spanish profesionalización
  • profesionalizaciónact pr process
Swedish professionalisering
  • professionaliseringact pr process
Ukrainian професіоналізація
  • професіоналізація (profesionalizácija)act pr process
Welsh proffesiynoliad
  • proffesiynoliadact pr process
Cite this entry
APA

professionalization. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/professionalization

MLA

“professionalization.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/professionalization. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “professionalization,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/professionalization.

Source: professionalization on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.