ordinary writing as distinguished from verse
"The author chose to write in prose rather than poetry so that her story could flow naturally without a rigid rhyme scheme."
matter of fact, commonplace, or dull expression
"The critic described the author's latest work as prose that was so matter-of-fact and dull it failed to capture any emotion."
Language, particularly written language, not intended as poetry.
"She read her essay aloud to prove that it was prose and not poetry."
In plain English: Prose is ordinary written language that flows naturally without following strict rhythmic patterns or rhymes, unlike poetry.
"She decided to write her story in simple prose instead of poetry."
Usage: Prose refers to ordinary written or spoken language that lacks the rhythmic structure of verse. It is commonly used when contrasting standard communication with poetic forms rather than describing specific content styles.
To write or repeat in a dull, tedious, or prosy way.
"The speaker droned on about mundane details until everyone fell asleep from his prose style."
In plain English: To prose means to speak or write using normal sentences instead of poetry with special rhythms and rhymes.
"The author decided to prose his thoughts into a journal instead of writing poetry."
The word "prose" comes from the Middle English and Old French terms for straightforward speech, which were derived from Latin prōsa meaning without the ornaments of verse. It entered English to describe writing that is not written in a rhythmic or rhyming pattern like poetry.