profound

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -aʊnd
• Hyphenation: pro‧found

Adjective

profound (comparative more profound, superlative most profound)

1. Descending far below the surface; opening or reaching to great depth; deep.
   • 1667, John Milton, “(please specify the book number)”, in Paradise Lost. , London: [Samuel Simmons], , →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: , London: Basil Montagu Pickering , 1873, →OCLC:

     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
   • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

     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 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.

   • 2023 September 20, Nigel Harris, “Comment Special: And it's goodbye from me...”, in RAIL, number 992, page 3:

     I visited the wreckage at Ladbroke Grove, Hatfield. Potters Bar and Heck, and the experiences had a profound effect on me - especially Ladbroke Grove.

5. Bending low, exhibiting or expressing deep humility; lowly; submissive
   • 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair , London: Bradbury and Evans , published 1848, →OCLC:

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

   • a. 1662, Brian Duppa, Holy Rules and Helps to Devotion, published 1683:

     What humble gestures! What profound reverence!

Translations

Noun

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.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. , London: [Samuel Simmons], , →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: , London: Basil Montagu Pickering , 1873, →OCLC, lines 976-980:

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

Verb

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.
2. (obsolete) To dive deeply; to penetrate.
   • 1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: , 2nd edition, London: A Miller, for Edw Dod and Nath Ekins, , →OCLC:

     But no man is likely to profound tbe Ocean of that Doctrine

Related terms

• profundicate
• profundify
• profundity
• profoundness

Old French

Adjective

profound m (oblique and nominative feminine singular profounde)

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