profound

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pro·found

(prə-found′, prō-)

adj. pro·found·er, pro·found·est

1. Having, showing, or requiring great insight or understanding: a profound thinker; a profound analysis.

2. Deeply felt or held; intense: profound contempt; a profound conviction.

3. Thoroughgoing; far-reaching: profound social changes.

4. Unqualified or unbroken: a profound silence; profound sleep.

5. Situated at, extending to, or coming from a great depth; deep: a profound chasm.

[Middle English profounde, from Old French profond, deep, from Latin profundus : prō-, before; see pro-¹ + fundus, bottom.]

pro·found′ly adv.

pro·found′ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

profound

(prəˈfaʊnd)

adj

1. penetrating deeply into subjects or ideas: a profound mind.

2. showing or requiring great knowledge or understanding: a profound treatise.

3. situated at or extending to a great depth

4. reaching to or stemming from the depths of one's nature: profound regret.

5. intense or absolute: profound silence.

6. thoroughgoing; extensive: profound changes.

archaic or literary a great depth; abyss

[C14: from Old French profund, from Latin profundus deep, from pro-¹ + fundus bottom]

proˈfoundly adv

proˈfoundness, profundity n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pro•found

(prəˈfaʊnd)

adj. -er, -est,
n. adj.

1. showing deep insight or understanding: a profound thinker.

2. originating in the depths of one's being: profound grief.

3. going beyond what is superficial or obvious: profound insight.

4. of deep significance: a profound book.

5. complete and pervasive: a profound silence.

6. extending or situated far beneath the surface: the profound depths of the ocean.

7. low: a profound bow.

n. Literary.

8. something that is profound.

9. the deep sea; ocean.

[1275–1325; Middle English < Anglo-French < Latin profundus deep, vast =pro- pro-¹ + fundus bottom]

pro•found′ly, adv.

pro•found′ness, n.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Adj.	1.	profound - showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth; "the differences are profound"; "a profound insight"; "a profound book"; "a profound mind"; "profound contempt"; "profound regret" intense - possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree; "intense heat"; "intense anxiety"; "intense desire"; "intense emotion"; "the skunk's intense acrid odor"; "intense pain"; "enemy fire was intense" scholarly - characteristic of scholars or scholarship; "scholarly pursuits"; "a scholarly treatise"; "a scholarly attitude" superficial - concerned with or comprehending only what is apparent or obvious; not deep or penetrating emotionally or intellectually; "superficial similarities"; "a superficial mind"; "his thinking was superficial and fuzzy"; "superficial knowledge"; "the superficial report didn't give the true picture"; "only superficial differences"
	2.	profound - of the greatest intensity; complete; "a profound silence"; "a state of profound shock" intense - possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree; "intense heat"; "intense anxiety"; "intense desire"; "intense emotion"; "the skunk's intense acrid odor"; "intense pain"; "enemy fire was intense"
	3.	profound - 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" fundamental significant, important - important in effect or meaning; "a significant change in tax laws"; "a significant change in the Constitution"; "a significant contribution"; "significant details"; "statistically significant"
	4.	profound - coming from deep within one; "a profound sigh" deep - relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply; "a deep breath"; "a deep sigh"; "deep concentration"; "deep emotion"; "a deep trance"; "in a deep sleep"
	5.	profound - (of sleep) deep and complete; "a heavy sleep"; "fell into a profound sleep"; "a sound sleeper"; "deep wakeless sleep" wakeless, sound, heavy deep - relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply; "a deep breath"; "a deep sigh"; "deep concentration"; "deep emotion"; "a deep trance"; "in a deep sleep"
	6.	profound - 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" unfathomed, unplumbed, unsounded deep - having great spatial extension or penetration downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or laterally or outward from a center; sometimes used in combination; "a deep well"; "a deep dive"; "deep water"; "a deep casserole"; "a deep gash"; "deep massage"; "deep pressure receptors in muscles"; "deep shelves"; "a deep closet"; "surrounded by a deep yard"; "hit the ball to deep center field"; "in deep space"; "waist-deep"

profound

adjective

1. sincere, acute, intense, great, keen, extreme, hearty, heartfelt, abject, deeply felt, heartrending The overwhelming feeling is profound shock and anger.
sincere shallow, insincere

2. wise, learned, serious, deep, skilled, subtle, penetrating, philosophical, thoughtful, sage, discerning, weighty, insightful, erudite, abstruse, recondite, sagacious a book full of profound and challenging insights
wise stupid, unwise, uneducated, thoughtless, uninformed, imprudent, unknowledgeable

3. complete, intense, absolute, serious (informal), total, extreme, pronounced, utter, consummate, unqualified, out-and-out A profound silence fell.
complete slight, superficial

4. radical, extensive, thorough, far-reaching, exhaustive, thoroughgoing the profound changes brought about by World War I

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

profound

adjective

1. Extending far downward or inward from a surface:

abysmal, deep.

2. Resulting from or affecting one's innermost feelings:

deep, intense, strong.

3. Beyond the understanding of an average mind:

abstruse, deep, esoteric, recondite.

Slang: heavy.

Translations

عَميقعَميق الفَهْم والإدراك

důmyslnýhluboký

dybdybsindig

tief tiefgründig profund

profundo

profond

djúpurspakur

profondit...profondo

gili prasmė

būtiska piezīmedziļšpamatīgsprofound remark

diep diepgaand wijs

dypsindig

derinderin bilgi gösteren

深远的渊博的造诣深的

profound

[prəˈfaʊnd] ADJ

1. (= deep, intense) [emotion, silence] → profundo; [effect, influence, changes] → profundo, grande

2. (= meaningful) [ideas, thoughts] → profundo; [person] → de ideas profundas; [book, writing] → profundo
her first novel is very profound → su primera novela es muy profunda

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

profound

[prəˈfaʊnd] adj

[effect, change, implications] → profond(e)
a profound effect → un impact profond

[difference, disagreement] → profond(e)

[feeling, respect, shock, disappointment] → profond(e)
profound respect → un profond respect
profound relief → un profond soulagement
a profound sense of shame → un profond sentiment de honte

[idea, insight, knowledge, mind] → profond(e)

profound

adj

sleep, sigh, sorrow, love, concern, depression → tief; thought, idea, art → tiefsinnig, tief schürfend, tiefgründig; experience → tief gehend, im Innersten ergreifend; book → gehaltvoll, profund (geh); thinker, knowledge → profund (geh), → tief gehend; regret → tief gehend; hatred, mistrust, difference, belief, respect, ignorance → tief sitzend; effect, influence, implications → tief greifend, weittragend, weit tragend; problem → tief sitzend, tief gehend; indifference → vollkommen, völlig; interest → stark; changes → tief greifend; you’re very profound today (also iro) → du bist heute sehr tiefsinnig; that’s very profound (also iro) → das ist sehr tiefsinnig

deafness → vollkommen; clinical shock, unconsciousness → tief

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

profound

[prəˈfaʊnd] adj → profondo/a

profound

(prəˈfaund) adjective

1. deep. profound sleep.

2. showing great knowledge or understanding. a profound remark.

proˈfoundly adverb

proˈfundity (-ˈfan-) noun

References in classic literature ?

Hence Quasimodo's gratitude was profound, passionate, boundless; and although the visage of his adopted father was often clouded or severe, although his speech was habitually curt, harsh, imperious, that gratitude never wavered for a single moment.

View in context

As the manager of the Performance sits before the curtain on the boards and looks into the Fair, a feeling of profound melancholy comes over him in his survey of the bustling place.

View in context

Speaker, I have heard with profound attention and entire approval the explanation of the honourable member, and wish to offer a few remarks on my own behalf.

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We passed through several apartments, between servants of the same sort, ranked on each side as before, till we came to the chamber of presence; where, after three profound obeisances, and a few general questions, we were permitted to sit on three stools, near the lowest step of his highness's throne.

View in context

These fellows demonstrate a hidden meaning in "The Antediluvians," a parable in Powhatan," new views in "Cock Robin," and transcendentalism in "Hop O' My Thumb." In short, it has been shown that no man can sit down to write without a very profound design.

View in context

He afterwards preserved so profound a silence, that Cropole was almost offended, so much did he prefer people who were good company.

View in context

How far he attained the end desired may be seen in his work, which is penetrated by a sense of profound beauty, recalling the quiet twilight upon the mountain-side, which he so well describes.

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The whale, therefore, must see one distinct picture on this side, and another distinct picture on that side; while all between must be profound darkness and nothingness to him.

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He was capable of profound sacri- fices, a tremendous death.

View in context

With such profound faith as Joe felt in the doctor, it is not to be wondered at that incessant discussions sprang up between him and Kennedy, without any lack of respect to the latter, however.

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charge d'affaires from Copenhagen- a profound intellect," and simply, "Mr.

View in context

Other plates, closely fitted, covered the lenticular glasses, and the travelers, hermetically enclosed in their metal prison, were plunged in profound darkness.