quid pro quo
Quid pro quo (noun) means a favour, advantage or payment given in return for something else, on the understanding that each side gets something from the exchange. Example: “The tax break was a quid pro quo for building the factory locally.”
How to use quid pro quo
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishYou give me something, I give you something back.
Formal to neutral; common in law, politics and business.
Don't confuse it with "status quo", which means the existing state of affairs.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The tax break was a _____ for building the factory locally.
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.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for quid pro quo
See all rhymes for 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.
What is the meaning of quid pro quo?
"quid pro quo" (noun) means a favour, advantage or payment given in return for something else, on the understanding that each side gets something from the exchange.