profound

From Middle English profound, from Anglo-Norman profound, from Old French profont, from Latin profundus, from pro + fundus (“bottom; foundation”).

• enPR: prə-found′, IPA^(key): /pɹəˈfaʊnd/

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• Rhymes: -aʊnd
• Hyphenation: pro‧found

profound (comparative more profound, superlative most profound)

1. Descending far below the surface; opening or reaching to great depth; deep.
   • 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost

     A gulf profound as that Serbonian bog

2. Very deep; very serious
3. Intellectually deep; entering far into subjects; reaching to the bottom of a matter, or of a branch of learning; thorough

   a profound investigation

   a profound scholar

   profound wisdom

   • 1819, Washington Irving, The Sketch Book, English Writers on America:

     Where no motives of interest or pride intervene, none can equal them for profound and philosophical views of society, ….

4. Characterized by intensity; deeply felt; pervading
   • 1603-1604, William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure

     How now! which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?

   • 1860, Henry Hart Milman, History of Latin Christianity : including that of the popes to the pontificate of Nicholas V.

     Of the profound corruption of this class there can be no doubt.

   • 2019, Shelina Janmohamed, Long before Shamima Begum, Muslim women were targets, in the Guardian.

     It’s probably one of the reasons the Shamima Begum case is having such a profound impact; one-dimensional stereotypes about Muslim women already run so deep.

5. Bending low, exhibiting or expressing deep humility; lowly; submissive
   • 1848, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair

     And with this, and a profound bow to his patrons, the Manager retires, and the curtain rises.

   • 17th century, Brian Duppa, Holy Rules and Helps to Devotion

     What humble gestures! What profound reverence!

profound (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) The deep; the sea; the ocean.
   • 1638, George Sandys, A Paraphrase vpon the Divine Poems, Exodvs 15:

     God, in the fathomlesse profound / Hath all his choice Commanders drown'd.

2. (obsolete) An abyss.
   • 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost (Book II), 976-980:

     ...if some other place, / From your dominion won, th' Ethereal King / Possesses lately, thither to arrive / travel this profound. Direct my course...

profound (third-person singular simple present profounds, present participle profounding, simple past and past participle profounded)

1. (obsolete) To cause to sink deeply; to cause to dive or penetrate far down.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Sir Thomas Browne to this entry?)

2. (obsolete) To dive deeply; to penetrate.

• profundicate
• profundify
• profundity
• profoundness

profound m (oblique and nominative feminine singular profounde)

1. (late Anglo-Norman) Alternative spelling of profont