quid pro quo
5 synonyms for quid pro quo, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A favour, advantage or payment given in return for something else, on the understanding that each side gets something from the exchange.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
trade-off
reciprocal arrangement
tit for tat
How to use quid pro quo
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a clear quid pro quo
quid pro quo arrangement
quid pro quo harassment
no quid pro quo
Formal to neutral; common in law, politics and business.
Etymology
Latin for 'something for something'. It originally referred to substituting one medicine for another, and later came to mean an equivalent given in exchange.
Full origin of quid pro quo →Frequently asked questions
Is a quid pro quo illegal?
Not usually — ordinary contracts are quid pro quo arrangements, and the law calls the exchanged value "consideration". It becomes illegal when the thing traded should not be for sale, as in bribery of officials or in quid pro quo sexual harassment, where a job benefit is conditioned on sexual conduct.
What is the difference between quid pro quo and reciprocity?
A quid pro quo is a specific, usually explicit exchange agreed at the time: you do this, I do that. Reciprocity is the broader social norm of returning good with good over time, with no stated terms and no fixed price.
What is the plural of quid pro quo?
Quid pro quos is standard in English. The Latinate quids pro quo exists but sounds affected in ordinary writing.
