Meaning & Definition of word "Profess"

Profess

/prəˈfɛs/

verb:

  • 1. to declare openly or freely; to make a profession of.
    • Example: She professed her love for him in front of all their friends.
  • 2. to affirm one's belief in or allegiance to a religion or belief system.
    • Example: He professes a deep faith in spirituality and the power of nature.
  • 3. to claim or pretend to have a quality or feeling.
    • Example: They profess to be experts in the field, but their lack of experience suggests otherwise.
  • 4. to teach or publicly proclaim knowledge in a particular field.
    • Example: She professes mathematics at the local university.
  • 5. to declare or announce a belief, theory, or point of view.
    • Example: The scientist professed a new theory about the origins of the universe.

Etymology

Middle English, from Old French 'professer', from Latin 'profiteri', meaning 'to declare publicly'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

profess one's love:

to declare one's feelings of love openly

profess ignorance:

to claim not to know something

profess faith:

to explicitly declare belief in a particular religion

Related Words

professor:

A person who teaches at a university or college.

profession:

A paid occupation, especially one that requires training.

Slang Meanings of profess

Meaning: To brag or boast about one's skills or beliefs.

Example Sentence: He likes to profess about his cooking skills, but he rarely cooks.

Meaning: To show off knowledge or beliefs in a pompous way.

Example Sentence: She often professes her understanding of politics in social gatherings.