primary profession

USAGE SUMMARY

"primary profession" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
For example, you can use it in a sentence like this: "His primary profession is working as a software engineer."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science & Research

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

The proliferation of pornography in the modern age has normalized both the act of sex and the choice to make it one's primary profession.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

"By leveraging information, drivers and cooks earn more in a month than they make out of their primary profession," said Mr. Jain.

The New York Times

The result was a list of just over 300 people (grouped by their primary profession) whose ideas are deemed worthy of public attention by the gatekeepers of the publications I surveyed.

The Guardian - Books

(Again, this comes with a caveat, because in many cases it's not easy to determine what the "primary" profession of an individual is: many intellectuals write both fiction and non-fiction, for example – which is how Hilary Mantel and Jonathan Raban find themselves in the same category: authors).

The Guardian - Books

"My gig is to jack my pulse up to 120 and run like that for two or three days or even longer, riding the buzz, senses rubbed raw, shooting at every shadow," says Top, whose genius as (get this!) a research librarian provides cover for his primary profession as a mercenary.

The New York Times - Books

Stage management quickly became her primary profession, and she soon found herself in charge of shows with stars like Tallulah Bankhead, who once said that Ms. Mitchell would have been "the most perfect person in the world if she could only play bridge".

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Majority of us have different primary professions skills background which are different from skills needed for preparing district health plans.

BMC Women's Health

The self reported primary professions indicated that among the participants were 16 (39%) general practitioners, 16 (39%) physiotherapists, 3 (8%) rheumatologists, 3 (8%) epidemiologists, 1 (3%) manual therapist and 1 (3%) senior lecturer in occupational medicine with a background as a GP and in occupational medicine.

BMC Family Practice

Pick your primary professions!

WikiHow

Low back pain is managed in primary care by three main professions in Australia, namely general practitioners, physiotherapists, and chiropractors.

BMC Family Practice

1– 6 The primary care profession must constantly aim to maintain this.

British Journal of General Practice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing someone's main source of income or long-term career focus, use "primary profession" to clearly communicate the individual's core occupational identity.

Common error

Avoid using "primary profession" when referring to temporary jobs or hobbies that are not the main focus of an individual's work life. Instead, clarify the distinction by using terms like "side hustle" or "part-time job" for secondary activities.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "primary profession" functions as a noun phrase that identifies and describes a person's main or principal occupation. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is commonly used and grammatically correct. Examples illustrate its role in specifying a person's primary work versus secondary activities.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Science & Research

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "primary profession" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase to denote an individual's main occupation or career. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and frequent appearance in diverse contexts ranging from news media to scientific research. While alternatives like "main occupation" or "principal job" exist, "primary profession" effectively communicates the core professional identity. It's important to use the phrase accurately, distinguishing it from secondary activities or hobbies. Remember to consider the context and intended audience when selecting the most appropriate term.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

main occupation

Replaces "profession" with "occupation" and "primary" with "main" to denote the main job.

principal job

Uses "principal" instead of "primary", emphasizing the most important job.

chief vocation

Substitutes "primary profession" with "chief vocation", highlighting the main calling or occupation.

leading career

Replaces "profession" with "career" and "primary" with "leading", signifying the main field.

core employment

Emphasizes the central aspect of employment instead of profession.

major professional activity

Expands the phrase to specify "professional activity", making it more explicit.

primary line of work

Replaces "profession" with "line of work" to offer a more informal alternative.

predominant occupation

Uses "predominant" instead of "primary" to emphasize the most common or noticeable occupation.

main source of income

Focuses on the financial aspect of the primary profession.

usual job

Offers a simplified alternative, focusing on the regular work someone does.

FAQs

How can I use "primary profession" in a sentence?

You can use "primary profession" to describe someone's main job or career. For example: "Her "primary profession" is teaching, but she also writes novels in her spare time."

What are some alternatives to "primary profession"?

Some alternatives include "main occupation", "principal job", or "chief vocation" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "main profession" instead of "primary profession"?

Yes, "main profession" is a correct and commonly used alternative to "primary profession". Both phrases are generally interchangeable.

What's the difference between "primary profession" and "hobby"?

"Primary profession" refers to someone's main source of income and career focus, while a "hobby" is an activity done for leisure and enjoyment, typically not as a main source of income.