profile

[proh-fahyl] /ˈproʊ faɪl/
noun
1.
the outline or contour of the human face, especially the face viewed from one side.
2.
a picture or representation of the side view of a head.
3.
an outlined view, as of a city or mountain.
4.
an outline of an object, as a molding, formed on a vertical plane passed through the object at right angles to one of its principal horizontal dimensions.
5.
a drawing or the like representing this.
6.
Surveying. a vertical section of the ground surface taken parallel to a survey line.
Compare cross section (def 6).
7.
a verbal, arithmetical, or graphic summary or analysis of the history, status, etc., of a process, activity, relationship, or set of characteristics:
a biochemical profile of a patient's blood; a profile of national consumer spending.
8.
an informal biography or a concisely presented sketch of the life and character of a person.
9.
a set of characteristics or qualities that identify a type or category of person or thing:
a profile of a typical allergy sufferer.
10.
the look, configuration, or lines of something:
cars with a modern profile.
11.
degree of noticeability; visibility.
12.
Psychology. a description of behavioral and personality traits of a person compared with accepted norms or standards.
13.
Theater. a flat stage property or scenic piece cut from a firm, thin material, as of beaverboard or plywood, and having an irregular edge resembling the silhouette of a natural object.
14.
(in a gear) the outline of either end of a tooth.
15.
Naval Architecture. a longitudinal elevation or section of a vessel.
Compare outboard profile.
verb (used with object), profiled, profiling.
16.
to draw a profile of.
17.
to produce or present a history, description, or analysis of:
The magazine will profile the candidate in its next issue.
Origin
1650-60; (noun) < Italian prof(f)ilo, noun derivative of profilare to delineate, outline, equivalent to pro- pro-1 + -filare, derivative of filo line, thread < Latin fīlum
Related forms
profiler, noun
half-profile, noun
Synonyms
1. silhouette.
Examples from the web for profile
  • If nothing else, he's found a good way to enhance his profile.
  • That's why they had this strange combination with profile and frontal with drawings of people.
  • In fact, you may be shocked to see what your profile says about you.
  • Actively profile anyone who drinks more than two drinks a day.
  • The low profile tires hold less air and thus need checking and refilling more often.
  • Both pieces of information would become part of your updated social genome, your profile of likes and dislikes.
  • Even the mountain's two-lump profile changes, depending on where you're looking at it from.
  • Rosemary plants have varying amounts of camphor in their fragrance profile.
  • The doctor might then prescribe a product that is more effective and better tolerated for her genetic profile.
  • Personalized ads, with your seal of approval, may now appear on your friends' profile pages.
British Dictionary definitions for profile

profile

/ˈprəʊfaɪl/
noun
1.
a side view, outline, or representation of an object, esp of a human face or head
2.
a view or representation of an object, esp a building, in contour or outline
3.
a short biographical sketch of a subject
4.
a graph, table, or list of scores representing the extent to which a person, field, or object exhibits various tested characteristics or tendencies: a population profile
5.
a vertical section of soil from the ground surface to the parent rock showing the different horizons
6.
  1. a vertical section of part of the earth's crust showing the layers of rock
  2. a representation of such a section
7.
the outline of the shape of a river valley either from source to mouth (long profile) or at right angles to the flow of the river (cross profile)
verb (transitive)
8.
to draw, write, or make a profile of
9.
to cut out a shape from a blank (as of steel) with a cutter
Derived Forms
profilist (ˈprəʊfɪlɪst) noun
Word Origin
C17: from Italian profilo, from profilare to sketch lightly, from pro-1 + Latin fīlum thread
Word Origin and History for profile
n.

1650s, "a drawing of the outline of anything," from older Italian profilo "a drawing in outline," from profilare "to draw in outline," from pro- "forth" (see pro-) + filare "draw out, spin," from Late Latin filare "to spin, draw out a line," from filum "thread" (see file (v.)). Meaning "a side view" is from 1660s. Meaning "biographical sketch, character study" is from 1734.

v.

1715, "to represent in profile," from profile (n.) or Italian profilare. Meaning "to summarize a person in writing" is from 1948. Related: Profiled; profiling.

profile in Medicine

profile pro·file (prō'fīl')
n.

  1. A side view of an object or a structure, especially of the human head.

  2. A formal summary or analysis of data, often in the form of a graph or table, representing distinctive features or characteristics.

Slang definitions & phrases for profile

profile

verb
  1. To strut and attitudinize; show off: Now, right now, you're profiling. And I'm being bored
  2. To display prominently and proudly; show off: He was profiling his new Mercedes
Related Terms

keep a low profile, low profile

[1960s+ Black; fr the notion of displaying one's handsome profile]


profile in Technology


Simple language for matching and scoring data. "User's Manual for the PROFILE System", Cambridge Computer Assoc (May 1974).
[Jargon File]


1. A control file for a program, especially a text file automatically read from each user's home directory and intended to be easily modified by the user in order to customise the program's behaviour. Used to avoid hard-coded choices (see also dot file, rc file).
2. A report on the amounts of time spent in each routine of a program, used to find and tune away the hot spots in it. This sense is often verbed. Some profiling modes report units other than time (such as call counts) and/or report at granularities other than per-routine, but the idea is similar.

Idioms and Phrases with profile

profile

see: keep a low profile