Main Entry: ¹pro·file

Pronunciation: \ˈprō-ˌfī(-ə)l\

Function: noun

Etymology: Italian profilo, from profilare to draw in outline, from pro- forward (from Latin) + filare to spin, from Late Latin — more at file

Date: 1645

1 : a representation of something in outline; especially : a human head or face represented or seen in a side view
2 : an outline seen or represented in sharp relief : contour
3 : a side or sectional elevation: as a : a drawing showing a vertical section of the ground b : a vertical section of a soil from the ground surface to the underlying unweathered material
4 : a set of data often in graphic form portraying the significant features of something <a corporation's earnings profile>; especially : a graph representing the extent to which an individual exhibits traits or abilities as determined by tests or ratings
5 : a concise biographical sketch
6 : degree or level of public exposure <trying to keep a low profile> <a job with a high profile>

synonyms see outline