profile
UK[ˈprəʊfaɪl]US[ˈproʊfaɪl]
n
An outline of something, especially a person's face, as seen from the side
n
A short description of someone's life, character, or career
n
The extent to which a person, organization, or activity is noticed by the public
v
To describe or show the main characteristics of someone or something
v
To give a specified form or direction to something
Morpheme Breakdown
pro
file
pro
forward
file
line, thread
Etymology
The word 'profile' entered English in the 17th century from the Italian profilo, which itself was a compound of pro- (forward) and filare (to draw a line, to spin), from filo (thread, line). This Italian term was derived from the Latin elements pro- and filum (a thread). The original artistic sense of "an outline drawing" perfectly captures the literal meaning of "drawing forward a line" to create a side-view contour. Over time, the meaning broadened metaphorically from a physical outline to any concise descriptive sketch, whether of a person's character, career, or the public visibility of an entity, maintaining the core idea of delineating essential features.
Analysis
Structure: pro (forward) + file (line, thread)
- pro: Latin origin, meaning "forward, forth, in front of". Acts as a prefix indicating forward direction or location.
- file: From Italian filo (thread, line), from Latin filum (thread). Acts as the root element denoting a line or thread.
Examples
She has a very distinctive profile with a strong jawline.
The newspaper published a profile of the new CEO.
The company is trying to keep a low profile during the investigation.