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Form of written or spoken language

Prose is the form of written language (including written speech or dialogue) that follows the natural flow of speech, a language's ordinary grammatical structures, or typical writing conventions and formatting (thus including academic writing). It differs from traditional poetry, where the format consists of verse: writing in lines that follow rhythmic metre or a rhyme scheme. The word "prose" first appears in English in the 14th century. It is derived from the Old French prose, which in turn originates in the Latin expression prosa oratio (literally, straightforward or direct speech). Works of philosophy, history, economics, etc., journalism, and most fiction (an exception is the verse novel), are examples of works written in prose. Developments in twentieth century literature, including free verse, concrete poetry, and prose poetry, have led to the idea of poetry and prose as two ends on a spectrum rather than firmly distinct from each other. The British poet T. S. Eliot noted, whereas "the distinction between verse and prose is clear, the distinction between poetry and prose is obscure."

Latin was a major influence on the development of prose in many European countries. Especially important was the great Roman orator Cicero (106–43 BC). It was the lingua franca among literate Europeans until quite recent times, and the great works of Descartes (1596–1650), Francis Bacon (1561–1626), and Baruch Spinoza (1632–1677) were published in Latin. Among the last important books written primarily in Latin prose were the works of Swedenborg (d. 1772), Linnaeus (d. 1778), Euler (d. 1783), Gauss (d. 1855), and Isaac Newton (d. 1727). Latin's role was replaced by French from the 17th. to the mid 20th century, i. e. until the uptake of English:
For about three hundred years French prose was the form in which the European intelligence shaped and communicated its thoughts about history, diplomacy, definition, criticism, human relationships — everything except metaphysics. It is arguable that the non existence of a clear, concrete German prose has been one of the chief disasters to European civilisation.

Many types of prose exist, which include those used in works of nonfiction, prose poem, alliterative prose and prose fiction. A prose poem – is a composition in prose that has some of the qualities of a poem. Haikai prose – combines haiku and prose. Prosimetrum – is a poetic composition which exploits a combination of prose and verse (metrum); in particular, it is a text composed in alternating segments of prose and verse. It is widely found in Western and Eastern literature.