My Work

The word "profession" comes from the Latin professiō, meaning "public declaration," which in turn comes from profiteri, meaning "to declare openly". Initially, it referred to a religious vow or a "public declaration" of belief or faith, a meaning that is still reflected in its use for the "professed" vows taken by clergy. By the early 15th century, the term began to be used for any "occupation one professes to be skilled in" or "calling," like the modern sense of a profession. This shift reflects the idea of publicly declaring one's expertise in a particular field