profile

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profile

/ˈpɹəʊ.faɪl/ UK
/ˈpɹoʊ.faɪl/ Canada, US
/ˈpɹəʉfɑel/ Australia
[ˈpɹɐu̯.fɑe̯l] New Zealand
/ˈpɹoʊ.fɪl/ obsolete
/ˈpɹoʊ.fiːl/ obsolete
/pɹoʊˈfiːl/ obsolete

Where it comes from

From French profil, from Italian profilo (“a border”), later also proffilo (“a side-face, profile”), from Latin pro (“before”) + filo (“a line, stroke, thread”), from filum (“a thread”); see file. Doublet of purfle.

noun profiles

countable The outermost shape, view, or edge of an object. His fingers traced the profile of the handle.
Similar: contour
countable The shape, view, or shadow of a person's head from the side; a side view. The brooch showed the profile of a Victorian woman.
countable A summary or collection of information, especially about a person. Law enforcement assembled a profile of the suspect.
Internet, countable A specific page or field in which users can provide various types of personal information in software or Internet systems. I just updated my Facebook profile to show I got engaged.
figuratively, uncountable Reputation, prominence; noticeability. Acting is, by nature, profession in which one must keep a high profile.
uncountable The amount by which something protrudes. Choose a handle with a low profile so it does not catch on things.
countable, uncountable A smoothed (e.g., troweled or brushed) vertical surface of an excavation showing evidence of at least one feature or diagnostic specimen; the graphic recording of such as by sketching, photographing, etc.
countable, uncountable Character; totality of related characteristics; signature; status (especially in scientific, technical, or military uses). What's the thermal profile on that thing?
countable, uncountable A section of any member, made at right angles with its main lines, showing the exact shape of mouldings etc.
countable, uncountable A drawing exhibiting a vertical section of the ground along a surveyed line, or graded work, as of a railway, showing elevations, depressions, grades, etc.
countable, slang, uncountable An exemption from certain types of duties due to injury or disability.
countable A user's preferences. A roaming profile allows your settings to follow you from one computer to another across a network.

verb profiles · profiling · profiled

transitive To create a summary or collection of information about (a person, etc.). The book The Men with the Pink Triangles, profiling the lives of gay prisoners in the German concentration camp.
To act based on such a summary, especially one that is a stereotype; to engage in profiling.
transitive To draw in profile or outline.
transitive To give a definite form by chiselling, milling, etc.
transitive To measure the performance of various parts of (a program) so as to locate bottlenecks. […] a complete and intuitive profiler that supports numerous types of profiling modes and profilable applications.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: outline, image, description, img, sketch, contour, structure, effigy, template, picture, form, photo, cross-section, composition, portrait, pattern

Translations

Every language

noun outermost shape

Español	perfil
한국어	윤곽 yun'gwak
日本語	輪郭 rinkaku
中文	輪廓 /轮廓 lúnkuò
Français	contour
Italiano	profilo
Русский	про́филь prófilʹ
العربية	حُدُود خَارِجِيَّة ḥudūd ḵārijiyya

noun shape, view, or shadow of a person's head from the side

Español	perfil
한국어	옆얼굴 yeopeolgul, 프로필 peuropil
日本語	横顔 yokogao, プロフィール purofīru
中文	側面 /侧面 cèmiàn
Português	perfil
Français	profil
Deutsch	Profil
Italiano	profilo
Ελληνικά	προφίλ profíl
Русский	про́филь prófilʹ
العربية	صُورَة جَانِبِيَّة ṣūra jānibiyya

noun summary or collection of information, especially about a person

Español	reseña
한국어	약력 yangnyeok, 프로파일 peuropail
日本語	プロフィール profīru
Português	perfil
Français	profil
Italiano	profilo
Русский	про́филь prófilʹ
العربية	سِيرَة sīra

noun space with personal information in software or Internet systems

中文	簡介欄 /简介栏 jiǎnjièlán, 資料頁 /资料页 zīliàoyè
Français	profil
Deutsch	Profil, Benutzerprofil
Italiano	profilo

noun reputation; prominence; noticeability

日本語	注目度 chūmokudo
Русский	про́филь prófilʹ
العربية	شُهْرَة šuhra

noun amount by which something protrudes

日本語	プロファイル purofairu
Русский	про́филь prófilʹ
العربية	بُرُوز burūz

verb to create a summary or collection of information

Español	perfilar

verb to act based on such a summary; especially, to act on a stereotype

Русский	профили́ровать profilírovatʹ

verb to draw in profile or outline

Español	perfilar

verb (engineering) to give a definite form

Español	perfilar

Talk about this word

Cite this

MLA

"profile." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/profile. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

profile. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/profile

Chicago

"profile." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/profile.

BibTeX

@misc{profile_2026,
  title = {profile},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/profile},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}