This term was coined by Professor Woodie Flowers for the FIRST robotics competition. The definition has never been precisely outlined, but it's connotation is widely understood and may be summarized as this: "Competition for the sake not of destroying one another, but for the sake of bettering and improving both competitors as a result of the competition."
Lending a spare part to an opponent in order to keep them from forfeiting a match is a prime example of gracious professionalism.
by Andy Ross April 26, 2004
by kmskate January 28, 2017
A term used commonly by the FIRST and specifically FLL robotics community referencing the unfair political bias of FLL - that same people who hipcritially perpetrate the concept of 'Gracious Professionalism'.
'P1': Dude, the BAE sponsored team won NH state again.
'P2': First: where gracious professionalism comes last
'P2': First: where gracious professionalism comes last
by anon12443 April 1, 2009