profile

1 of 2

noun

pro·​file ˈprō-ˌfī(-ə)l 

plural profiles

1

: a representation of something in outline

especially : a human head or face represented or seen in a side view

The first coins featuring King Charles's profile have been issued by the Royal Mint …

—Jessica Knibbs

There were … larger spaces of bare wall ornamented with charcoal sketches, chiefly of people's heads in profile.

—Nathaniel Hawthorne

By the moonlight, Lady Dedlock can be seen in profile, perfectly still.

—Charles Dickens

2

: an outline seen or represented in sharp relief : contour

"The main features of the design have to do with its site in the foothills of very beautiful mountains. The profile is a jagged line of silhouettes behind this building. We felt it was important to not compete with the majestic profile of these mountains," [Audrey] Matlock says.

—Denise Kalette

3

: a side or sectional elevation: such 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

They will then evaluate the fundamental characteristics of those stocks, such as earnings profiles and valuations. …

—Perle Battistella

especially : a graph representing the extent to which an individual exhibits traits or abilities as determined by tests or ratings

5

a

: a concise biographical sketch

The Vanity Fair feature, a profile of [Amy] Poehler and [Maya] Rudolph, reports that "Wine Country" goes above and beyond that standard, with the film featuring zero straight men talking to each other.

—Kevin Slane

b

: a collection of personal details about oneself that one curates and shares on an online platform (such as a blog or a social media service)

… when Anderson sat down that year to create an online-dating profile, she was strategic.

—Taffy Brodessr-Akner

They have left [their jobs] or are about to go, one into consultancy and a "career break" (according to her Linkedin profile), the other to become a partner at PWC.

—Katherine Griffiths

These short-term gigs fit into the time you have available, and are easy to find: simply go online to one of many sites designed to pair people with projects, and apply for jobs, advertise your skills, or set up a profile and offer your services for tasks that employers have posted.

—Donna Freedman

6

: degree or level of public exposure

Together, they helped bring Nashville's burgeoning noncountry scene to new prominence, and as the city's profile rose, so did their own.

—Dave Paulson

After leaving New York in 1990 all but broken following the failure of his hot spot Rakel, the chef kept a low profile in L.A. before eventually scraping together the money to buy a modest Napa Valley restaurant called The French Laundry.

—Jay Cheshes

7

: a distinctive combination of characteristics

The evolution of the scent profile, from floral and energetic to smoky and calm, makes this cologne a great choice for a date or an evening in the town.

—Will Briskin

What's striking about so many of the Santa Rita Pinots is that they share a flavor profile, with rich, vivid blueberry and wild berry fruit.

—James Laube

profile

2 of 2

verb

profiled; profiling

transitive verb

1

: to represent in profile or by a profile : produce (as by drawing, writing, or graphing) a profile of

2

: to shape the outline of by passing a cutter around

3

: to subject to profiling

profiler noun

Choose the Right Synonym for profile

outline, contour, profile, silhouette mean the line that bounds and gives form to something.

outline applies to a line marking the outer limits or edges of a body or mass.

traced the outline of his hand

contour stresses the quality of an outline or a bounding surface as being smooth, jagged, curving, or sharply angled.

a car with flowing contours

profile suggests a varied and sharply defined outline against a lighter background.

a portrait of her face in profile

silhouette suggests a shape especially of a head or figure with all detail blacked out in shadow leaving only the outline clearly defined.

photograph in silhouette against a bright sky

Examples of profile in a Sentence

Noun

His profile is very unusual.

An image of the President's profile appears on the coin.

I read a profile of her in a magazine.

Verb

The mayor was profiled in the magazine last month.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

To keep a low profile, her face was concealed underneath a baseball cap and sunglasses. —Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 1 July 2025

Once verified, users get a blue checkmark on their profile. —Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 30 June 2025

Verb

Shop owners and workers said even legal residents and citizens had opted not to show up in recent days, worried that the Garment District, popular with migrants looking for deals, could be targeted again — or that they would be unfairly profiled based on their skin color. —Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025

That tax officer is not supposed to profile me or match my donations with other sources to infer my politics, my religion or health issues. —Hessie Jones, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

1638, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing profile

• high/low profile
• high-profile
• in profile
• kept a low profile

Rhymes for profile

• argyle
• awhile
• beguile
• compile
• condyle
• defile
• erstwhile
• exile
• freestyle
• gentile
• hairstyle
• lifestyle

Kids Definition

profile

1 of 2 noun

pro·​file ˈprō-ˌfīl 

1

: a head or face seen or drawn from the side

2

: something seen in outline

3

: a vertical section of soil that shows the various layers

4

: a set of data often in the form of a graph that shows the important characteristics of something

read her psychological profile

5

: level of activity that attracts attention

tried to keep a low profile

profile

2 of 2 verb

profiled; profiling

1

: to represent in profile

2

: to produce a profile of

Medical Definition

profile

1 of 2 noun

pro·​file ˈprō-ˌfīl 

1

: a set of data exhibiting the significant features of something and often obtained by multiple tests

the profile of CK isoenzymes in skeletal muscle

—A. J. Siegel & D. M. Dawson

2

: a graphic representation of the extent to which an individual or group exhibits traits as determined by tests or ratings

this group did not give a homogeneous personality profile

—Diseases of the Nervous System

profile

2 of 2 transitive verb

profiled; profiling

: to represent in profile or by a profile : produce a profile of (as by writing or graphing)