profound
adjective ( -founder , -foundest )
1 (of a state, quality, or emotion) very great or intense : profound social changes | profound feelings of disquiet.
• (of a disease or disability) very severe; deep-seated : a case of profound liver failure.
2 (of a person or statement) having or showing great knowledge or insight : a profound philosopher.
• (of a subject or thought) demanding deep study or thought : expressing profound truths in simple language.
3 archaic at, from, or extending to a great depth; very deep : he opened the door with a profound bow.
noun ( the profound) poetic/literary
the vast depth of the ocean or of the mind.
DERIVATIVES
profoundly adverb : [as submodifier ] a profoundly disturbing experience.
profoundness noun
ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French profund, from Latin profundus ‘deep,’ from pro ‘before’ + fundus ‘bottom.’ The word was used earliest in the sense [showing deep insight.]
Thesaurus
profound
adjective
1 profound relief heartfelt, intense, keen, great, extreme, acute, severe, sincere, earnest, deep, deep-seated, overpowering, overwhelming, fervent, ardent. antonym superficial, mild.
2 profound silence complete, utter, total, absolute.
3 a profound change far-reaching, radical, extensive, sweeping, exhaustive, thoroughgoing. antonym slight.
4 a profound analysis wise, learned, clever, intelligent, scholarly, sage, erudite, discerning, penetrating, perceptive, astute, thoughtful, insightful, percipient, perspicacious; rare sapient. antonym superficial.
5 profound truths complex, abstract, deep, weighty, difficult, abstruse, recondite, esoteric. antonym simple.
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