prose

B2 Topic:Communication

US /ˈpɹoʊz/ UK /ˈpɹəʊz/ See IPA manual

Freq #23760

Meanings

1

noun
Ordinary written or spoken language, as opposed to poetry.

Though known mostly for her prose, she also wrote a few fine poems.
2

noun
Dull, plain, or unimaginative language.

The report was written in flat, lifeless prose.

Thesaurus

Opposites

poetry verse

Word family

Forms proses

Derived forms beproseprosalproselikeprosemanprosewiseprosificationprosifyprosimetricalprosistrhymeprosetechnoprosetransprose

Related forms prosaic prosody

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

Etymology

From Middle English prose, from Old French prose, from Latin prōsa (“straightforward”) from the term prōsa ōrātiō (“a straightforward speech – i.e. without the ornaments of verse”). further etymology and related terms The term prōsa (“straightforward”), a colloquial form of prorsa (“straight forwards”), the feminine form prorsus (“straight forwards”), from Old Latin prōvorsus (“moving straight ahead”), from pro- (“forward”) + vorsus (“turned”), form of vertō (“to turn”). Compare verse.

prose Middle English prōsa Latin prōvorsus itc-ola

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication Literature & Storytelling

External links

# prose

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈpɹoʊz/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈpɹəʊz/
**Frequency rank:** 23760

## Meanings
1. Ordinary written or spoken language, as opposed to poetry.
2. Dull, plain, or unimaginative language.

## Examples
- Though known mostly for her prose, she also wrote a few fine poems.
- The report was written in flat, lifeless prose.

## Antonyms
- poetry
- verse

## Derived Forms
- beprose
- prosal
- proselike
- proseman
- prosewise
- prosification
- prosify
- prosimetrical
- prosist
- rhymeprose
- technoprose
- transprose

## Related Forms
- prosaic
- prosody

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: prose
- Root: prōsa
- Root: prōvorsus

## Etymology
From Middle English prose, from Old French prose, from Latin prōsa (“straightforward”) from the term prōsa ōrātiō (“a straightforward speech – i.e. without the ornaments of verse”). further etymology and related terms The term prōsa (“straightforward”), a colloquial form of prorsa (“straight forwards”), the feminine form prorsus (“straight forwards”), from Old Latin prōvorsus (“moving straight ahead”), from pro- (“forward”) + vorsus (“turned”), form of vertō (“to turn”). Compare verse.

## AI Etymology
Prose comes from Middle English prose, from Old French prose, from Latin prōsa (“straightforward”) from the term prōsa ōrātiō (“a straightforward speech – i.e. without the ornaments of verse”). further etymology and related terms The term prōsa (“straightforward”), a colloquial form of prorsa (“straight forwards”), the feminine form prorsus (“straight forwards”), from Old Latin prōvorsus (“moving straight ahead”), from pro- (“forward”) + vorsus (“turned”), form of vertō (“to turn”). Compare verse. In present-day English it covers ordinary written or spoken language, as opposed to poetry and dull, plain, or unimaginative language. The wider family includes derived forms such as beprose, prosal, proselike, proseman, prosewise and related forms such as prosaic, prosody.

## Topics
- Communication
- Literature & Storytelling

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