prose

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Language, particularly written language, not intended as poetry.

   Though known mostly for her prose, she also produced a small body of excellent poems.

2. 2
   noun

   Language which evinces little imagination or animation; dull and commonplace discourse.

   ...the vehicle is plodding prose, but the effect is none the less poignant. And in regard to this I may say that in a hundred places in Trollope the extremity of pathos is reached by the homeliest means.

3. 3
   noun

   A hymn with no regular meter, sometimes introduced into the Mass.

   Proses are parts of the Office of the Mass which are sung just before the Gospel, upon great Festivals. The French also call those Rhythmical Hymns Proses, which are sung in their Offices in the Church of Rome, in which Rhime only, and not Quantity of Syllables, is observed.

4. 4
   verb

   To write or repeat in a dull, tedious, or prosy way.

   Pray, do not prose, good Ethelbert, but speak; What is your purpose?

5. 5
   noun

   ordinary writing as distinguished from verse

6. 6
   noun

   matter of fact, commonplace, or dull expression

7. 7
   name

   A surname from German.

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.