'Young Professionals'

[Papaleekie]

One often sees this when applied to renting a property.
I assume 'professional' means anyone with a job!

It's stretching the definition of Professional a bit. I always associated the expression with Doctors, Solicitors, etc.

I guess it emerged from Estate-Agent speak??

[Quizmonster]

As long ago as the 1500s, 'profession' in this sense referred to the then three learn�d disciplines of religion, medicine and law as well as that of arms...ie military. Since then it has referred to other areas of work that involved a necessary university education before practising it. Most recently, it has widened even further to be applied to just about any job that requires some form of lengthy specific training, as you say!
Property-owners who ask for 'professionals' are really saying they are not looking for labourers, lorry-drivers and so on.

[jno]

I'm sure Quizmonster is right and it really means 'no working class, thank you'. But if you have the money I doubt they'll ask where it came from. The word 'yuppie' also stood originally for 'young urban professional', which probably gives you the idea of the sort of renter they have in mind.

[heathfield]

Maybe they should say 'Young Would-be Professionals' !

[code1]

Bodie and Doyle now they were professionals...

The Professionals was a British crime-action television drama series that aired on the ITV network from 1977 to 1983, filmed between 1977 and 1982. In all, 57 episodes were produced. It starred Martin Shaw, Lewis Collins and Gordon Jackson, as agents of the fictional "CI5". The series was conceived as a response to The Sweeney, and was similar in style to Starsky and Hutch.

The Professionals was created by Brian Clemens, who had been one of the driving forces behind The Avengers. Clemens and Albert Fennell executive produced, with business partner Laurie Johnson providing the theme music. Sidney Hayers produced the first series in 1977, and Raymond Menmuir the remainder.