pro forma

See also: proforma

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin prō fōrmā.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

pro forma (not comparable)

1. 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.
2. Of or relating to a document of form, especially an invoice sent in advance.
3. 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

• Dutch: voor de vorm
• Finnish: muodon vuoksi
• French: pour la forme (fr)
• German: pro forma (de), der Form wegen, der Form halber
• Italian: pro forma
• Japanese: 形式的な (keishikiteki na)
• Polish: pro forma (pl)

Adverb

pro forma (not comparable)

1. 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)

1. A document that shows the standard entries of a form or similar document.

See also

• boilerplate
• perfunctory

Anagrams

• marproof, poor farm

German

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin prō fōrmā.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

pro forma (indeclinable, predicative only)

1. pro forma

Adverb

pro forma

1. pro forma

Italian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Latin prō fōrmā (literally “for form”).

Adjective

pro forma (invariable)

1. pro forma

Adverb

pro forma

1. pro forma

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): /proː ˈfoːr.maː/, [proː ˈfoːrmäː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /pro ˈfor.ma/, [prɔː ˈfɔrmä]

Adverb

prō fōrmā (not comparable)

1. 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
• Homophone: proforma

Adjective

pro forma (not comparable, no derived adverb)

1. (idiomatic, literary, postpositive) pro forma (for the sake of form only)

Adverb

pro forma (not comparable)

1. (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 (not comparable)

1. pro forma (for the sake of form only)

References

• pro forma in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• pro forma in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• pro forma in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)