profound adj

1 showing intellectual penetration or emotional depths; from the depths of your being; "the differences are profound"; "a profound insight"; "a profound book"; "a profound mind"; "profound contempt"; "profound regret" [ant: superficial]

2 of the greatest intensity; complete; "a profound silence"; "a state of profound shock"

3 far-reaching and thoroughgoing in effect especially on the nature of something; "the fundamental revolution in human values that has occurred"; "the book underwent fundamental changes"; "committed the fundamental error of confusing spending with extravagance"; "profound social changes" [syn: fundamental]

4 coming from deep within one; "a profound sigh"

5 (of sleep) deep and complete; "a heavy sleep"; "fell into a profound sleep"; "a sound sleeper"; "deep wakeless sleep" [syn: heavy, sound, wakeless]

6 situated at or extending to great depth; too deep to have been sounded or plumbed; "the profound depths of the sea"; "the dark unfathomed caves of ocean"-Thomas Gray; "unplumbed depths of the sea"; "remote and unsounded caverns" [syn: unfathomed, unplumbed, unsounded]

English

Etymology

Anglo-Norman profound, French profond, Latin profundus; pro before, forward + fundus the bottom. See Found to establish, Bottom lowest part.

Pronunciation

Adjective

1. Descending far below the surface; opening or reaching to a great depth; deep.

   • A gulf profound. Milton.

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; as, a profound investigation or treatise; a profound scholar; profound wisdom.
4. Characterized by intensity; deeply felt; pervading; overmastering; far-reaching; strongly impressed; as, a profound sleep.

   • Profound sciatica. Shakespeare
   • Of the profound corruption of this class there can be no doubt. Milman.

5. Bending low, exhibiting or expressing deep humility; lowly; submissive; as, a profound bow.

   • What humble gestures! What profound reverence! Dupp.

Translations

• Finnish: syvä (1), syvällinen (2), perusteellinen (3)
• French: profond
• Italian: profondo
• Portuguese: profundo(a)
• Romanian: profund
• Spanish: profundo(a)
• Swedish: djupsinnig, klartänkt, skarpsinnig
• Russian: глубокий, основательный

Noun

1. The deep; the sea; the ocean.

   • God in the fathomless profound Hath all this choice commanders drowned. Sandys.

2. An abyss.

Verb

1. To cause to sink deeply; to cause to dive or penetrate far down.
2. To dive deeply; to penetrate.

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