quid pro quo
Say it: kwid proh KWOH /ˌkwɪd prəʊ ˈkwəʊ/ · noun phrase
What “quid pro quo” means
Something you give or do in return for something else.
More precisely: A favour or advantage given in return for something.
Example: “The introduction wasn't free; it was a quid pro quo for my help last year.”
When to use it
Use it for an exchange of favours or benefits, especially in work or politics. It sounds fairly formal.
Memory trick
Latin for “something for something”: one favour comes back as another.
Similar words
exchange, trade-off, tit for tat
Where it comes from
Latin, 'something for something'.
Quick check
Your neighbour agrees to water your plants if you feed her cat during her holiday. That's…
a quid pro quo or a goodwill gesture?
Show the answer
a quid pro quo
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