Profession is a specialized work function within society, generally performed by a professional.
In a more restrictive sense, profession often refers specifically to fields that require extensive study and mastery of specialized knowledge, such as law, medicine, nursing or engineering. In this sense, profession is contrasted with occupation, which refers generally to the nature of a person's employment.
Terms such as occupational serve the purpose of upholding the distinction between professionals and others who for their living are dependent on their work rather than on their economic wealth. Such usage avoids the confusion caused by vague usage of the words professional and professionalism to express prestige, approval or a sense of exclusivity.
A profession is always held by a person, and it is generally that person's way of generating income. Some historians believe that the foundation of modern civilization is division of labor into different professions, thus increasing the level of expertise held by professionals.
