profundity

noun

pro·​fun·​di·​ty prə-ˈfən-də-tē How to pronounce profundity (audio)
plural profundities
1
a
: intellectual depth
b
: something profound or abstruse
2
: the quality or state of being profound or deep

Examples of profundity in a Sentence

the profundity of his thoughts Her books are a mixture of playfulness and profundity. the depth and profundity of her feelings
Recent Examples on the Web This is very basic, commonplace Scorpio behavior, but other people often project profundity upon it. Jennifer Culp, Them, 16 Oct. 2024 The book is filled with humor, canny allusion, beauty, and a profundity born of glimpsing fleeting human lives from the outside—through eyes that have seen epochs yet nonetheless remain befuddled. The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024 Regardless of whether Arthur Agee and William Gates become the next Jordan — or even the next Isiah Thomas — their lives wind up far more interesting than potential glory, with unexpected developments achieving a profundity few scripts ever could have. Eric Farwell and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 17 Aug. 2024 But the film works in large part because Linklater, as usual, lets profundity come to the movie rather than straining to reach it. Keith Phipps, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for profundity 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'profundity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English profundite, from Latin profunditat-, profunditas depth, from profundus

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of profundity was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near profundity

Cite this Entry

“Profundity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/profundity. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

profundity

noun
pro·​fun·​di·​ty prə-ˈfən-dət-ē How to pronounce profundity (audio)
plural profundities
1
: great knowledge or understanding
2
: something profound

More from Merriam-Webster on profundity

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