quid pro quo
About this episode
This episode discusses the term 'quid pro quo' and its historical context and usage.
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 18, 2026 is: quid pro quo • \kwid-proh-KWOH\ • noun Quid pro quo refers to something that is given to you or done for you in return for something you have given to or done for someone else. // If they do us this favor, they’ll expect a quid pro quo . See the entry > Examples: “For each proposal, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll have to negotiate with at least one faction, which usually involves some kind of quid pro quo . Maybe you agree to pass a policy they want next, or to advance research on a new technology of their choice.” — Deven McClure, Polygon , 24 Jan. 2026 Did you know? In the 1500s, a quid pro quo was something obtained from an apothecary. That’s because when quid pro quo (New Latin for “something for something”) was first used as a phrase in English it appeared especially in situations where one medicine was substituted for another—whether intentionally (and sometimes fraudulently) or accidentally. The meaning of the phrase was quickly extended, however, and within several decades it was being used for more general equivalent exchanges, and as a noun for the act of substituting, or the substituted thing…
People in this episode
Host: Merriam-Webster
Topics covered
- language
- definitions
- etymology
- legal terms
- negotiation
Keywords
- quid pro quo
- definition
- language
- etymology
- legal context
- negotiation
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