profile

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈprəʊfaɪl/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈproʊfaɪl/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(prōfīl)

Inflections of 'profile' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
profiles
v 3rd person singular
profiling
v pres p
profiled
v past
profiled
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
pro•file /ˈproʊfaɪl/USA pronunciation   n., v., -filed, -fil•ing. 
n. [countable]
  1. the outline of the human face as viewed from one side.
  2. the look or general contour of something:the profile of a mountain.
  3. a summary of a process, activity, or set of characteristics:a profile of consumer spending.
  4. a short, informal piece of writing about someone:a profile of the mayor and his rise to power.
  5. the degree to which someone is noticed;
    visibility:Keep a low profile until this trouble passes.

v. [+ object]
  1. to draw, write, or produce a profile of.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
pro•file  (prōfīl),USA pronunciation n., v., -filed, -fil•ing. 
n. 
  1. the outline or contour of the human face, esp. the face viewed from one side.
  2. a picture or representation of the side view of a head.
  3. an outlined view, as of a city or mountain.
  4. an outline of an object, as a molding, formed on a vertical plane passed through the object at right angles to one of its principal horizontal dimensions.
  5. a drawing or the like representing this.
  6. Surveyinga vertical section of the ground surface taken parallel to a survey line. Cf. cross section (def. 6). See diagram under contour map. 
  7. a verbal, arithmetical, or graphic summary or analysis of the history, status, etc., of a process, activity, relationship, or set of characteristics:a biochemical profile of a patient's blood; a profile of national consumer spending.
  8. an informal biography or a concisely presented sketch of the life and character of a person.
  9. Biology, Psychologya set of characteristics or qualities that identify a type or category of person or thing:a profile of a typical allergy sufferer.
  10. the look, configuration, or lines of something:cars with a modern profile.
  11. degree of noticeability;
    visibility.
  12. Psychologya description of behavioral and personality traits of a person compared with accepted norms or standards.
  13. Show Business[Theat.]a flat stage property or scenic piece cut from a firm, thin material, as of beaverboard or plywood, and having an irregular edge resembling the silhouette of a natural object.
  14. Mechanics(in a gear) the outline of either end of a tooth.
  15. Nautical, Naval Terms[Naval Archit.]a longitudinal elevation or section of a vessel. Cf. outboard profile. 

v.t. 
  1. to draw a profile of.
  2. to produce or present a history, description, or analysis of:The magazine will profile the candidate in its next issue.
  • Latin fīlum
  • Italian prof(f )ilo, noun, nominal derivative of profilare to delineate, outline, equivalent. to pro- pro-1 + -filare, derivative of filo line, thread
  • (noun, nominal) 1650–60
profil•er, n. 
    1. silhouette.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
profile /ˈprəʊfaɪl/ n
  1. a side view, outline, or representation of an object, esp of a human face or head
  2. a short biographical sketch of a subject
  3. personal information about a user that is displayed on a social media website
  4. a graph, table, or list of scores representing the extent to which a person, field, or object exhibits various tested characteristics or tendencies: a population profile
  5. a vertical section of soil from the ground surface to the parent rock showing the different horizons
    • a vertical section of part of the earth's crust showing the layers of rock
    • a representation of such a section
  6. the outline of the shape of a river valley either from source to mouth (long profile) or at right angles to the flow of the river (cross profile)
vb (transitive)
  1. to draw, write, or make a profile of
  2. to cut out a shape from a blank (as of steel) with a cutter
Etymology: 17th Century: from Italian profilo, from profilare to sketch lightly, from pro-1 + Latin fīlum thread
'profile' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: [update, review, create, change] your profile, [look at, read, stalk] her profile, her [personal, professional, online] profile, more...

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "profile" in the title:


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