LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
adverb

prōrsus1

prōrsus (not comparable)
Classical[ˈproːr.sʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈprɔr.sus]

Meaning

  1. not comparableforwards
  2. not comparablestraight forward; directly
  3. not comparablecertainly, truly, precisely, utterly, absolutely

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Plane · Omnino · Prorsus · Penitus · Utique

Plane means completely, in opp. to pæne, Cic. Brut. 97, 33; or vix, Att. xi. 9; omnino, altogether and generally, in opp. to partly, in some instances, with some exceptions; in opp. also to magna ex parte, Cic. Tusc. i. 1. Fam. ix. 15, or separatim, Plin. Ep. viii. 7, ὁλῶς; prorsus, exactly, in opp. to in some measure, or almost; penitus, thoroughly, deeply, in opp. to in a certain degree, or superficially, πάντως; utique [related to utcunque, as quisque to quicunque: opp. neutiquam], at any rate, in opp. to at all events, or perhaps ὁπωσδήποτε. (v. 260.)

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

ita prorsus existimo
that is exactly what I think.
verbum prorsus nullum intellegere
not to understand a single word.

prorsus (collat. form prōsus, Plaut. Trin. 3, 3, 2; Enn. ap. Non. 165, 11; Trag. Rel. p. 28 Rib.; but p. 107 Vahl. reads prorsus), adv. for pro-versus.
I. Forwards (ante-class.): non prorsus, verum transvorsus cedit, quasi cancer solet, Plaut. Ps. 4, 1, 45.—
II. Straight on, right onwards, directly (ante- and post-class.), Cato ap. Fest. p. 234 Müll.: tunc Arionem prorsus ex eo loco Corinthum petivisse, Gell. 16, 19, 17.—
B. Trop.
1. Straightway, by all means, certainly, truly, precisely, utterly, absolutely (class.): prorsus perii, Plaut. Aul. 2, 8, 27: vide ne ille huc prorsus se inruat, Ter. Ad. 4, 2, 11; 3, 2, 26: prorsus tacere nequeo, id. Hec. 4, 4, 51: ita prorsus existimo, Cic. Tusc. 2, 5, 14: nullo modo potest fleri prosus, Plaut. Trin. 3, 3, 2: nullo modo prorsus assentior, Cic. N. D. 3, 8, 21; id. Att. 13, 45, 1: verbum prorsus nullum intellego, not a single word, id. de Or. 2, 14, 61: venies exspectatus non solum nobis, sed prorsus omnibus, id. Fam. 4, 10, 1: affatim prorsus, id. Att. 16, 1, 5: prorsus vehementer et severe, id. ib. 16, 15, 2: hoc mihi prorsus valde placet, id. Fam. 6, 20, 2; Plin. 14, 5, 7, § 58.—Ironically: grati prorsus conjugibus revertemur, Curt. 5, 5, 13.—
2. Exactly, just, precisely: set ea prorsus opportuna Catilinae, Sall. C. 16, 5; Varr. L. L. 6, § 16 dub.; v. Müll. ad h. l.: prorsus quasi, precisely as if, Just. 1, 7, 16.—
3. After an enumeration of particulars, in short, in fine, in a word: igitur colos exsanguis, foedi oculi: citus modo, modo tardus incessus; prorsus in facie vultuque vecordia inerat, Sall. C. 15, 5; 25, 5; id. J. 23, 1; 30, 3 al.

Origins

For *provorsus, from prō + versus, vorsus (“towards”).

adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective
prōrsus2
prōrsus (feminine prōrsa, neuter prōrsum)
Classical[ˈproːr.sʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈprɔr.sus]

Meaning

  1. adjectivestraightforward, right onwards, straight, direct
  2. adjectivestraightforward, prosaic

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativeprōrsusprōrsaprōrsum
genitiveprōrsīprōrsaeprōrsī
dativeprōrsōprōrsaeprōrsō
accusativeprōrsumprōrsamprōrsum
ablativeprōrsōprōrsāprōrsō
vocativeprōrseprōrsaprōrsum
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativeprōrsīprōrsaeprōrsa
genitiveprōrsōrumprōrsārumprōrsōrum
dativeprōrsīsprōrsīsprōrsīs
accusativeprōrsōsprōrsāsprōrsa
ablativeprōrsīsprōrsīsprōrsīs
vocativeprōrsīprōrsaeprōrsa

prorsus (collat. form prōsus; v. II.), a, um, adj. for pro-versus.
I. Straightforwards, right onwards, straight, direct (post-Aug.): prorso tramite siste gradus (al. proso), Avien. 3: prorsi limites appellantur in agrorum mensuris, qui ad orientem directi sunt, Fest. p. 234, and Paul. ex Fest. p. 235 Müll.—
II. Trop., of style, straightforwards, i. e. prosaic, in prose, opp. to verse (post-class.): prorsum est porro versum, id est ante versum. Hinc et prorsa oratio, quam non inflexit cantilena, Don. Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 14: et prorsa et vorsa facundia veneratus sum, in prose and verse, App. Flor. 4, p. 361, 36.—In this sense predominant (but not found in Cic.) in the form prosa oratio, prose, =soluta oratio, Quint. 1, 5, 18; 11, 2, 39: prosa eloquentia, Vell. 1, 17, 3; Sen. ap. Gell. 12, 2, 6; Col. 11, 1, 1; Plin. 5, 29, 31, § 112.—Subst.: prōsa, ae, f., prose, Quint. 1, 8, 2; 8, 6, 17; 20; 9, 4, 52 et saep.

Origins

For *provorsus, from prō + versus, vorsus (“turned”).

Quick answers

What does prōrsus mean in Latin?
prōrsus, a adverb, means “forwards; straight forward; directly”.
How do you pronounce prōrsus?
In classical Latin, [ˈproːr.sʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈprɔr.sus].