professed

[ pruh-fest ]

adjective

1. avowed; acknowledged.
2. professing to be qualified; professional, rather than amateur.
3. having taken the vows of, or been received into, a religious order.
4. alleged; pretended.

professed

/ prəˈfɛsɪdlɪ; prəˈfɛst /

adjective

1. avowed or acknowledged
2. alleged or pretended
3. professing to be qualified as

   a professed philosopher

4. having taken vows of a religious order

Derived Forms

• professedly, adverb

Other Words From

• half-pro·fessed adjective
• nonpro·fessed adjective
• self-pro·fessed adjective
• unpro·fessed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of professed¹

1300–50; Middle English (in religious sense) < Medieval Latin profess ( us ) (special use of Latin professus, past participle of profitērī to declare publicly, equivalent to pro- pro- ¹ + -fet-, combining form of fatērī to acknowledge + -tus past participle suffix, with tt > ss ) + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Long before he entered politics, Trump grew up watching wrestling as a child in Queens, New York and he has always professed a deep reverence for its larger-than-life entertainers.

From BBC

She professed her desire to hustle beyond her short-lived stint in G.L.A.M., a pop girl group.

From Los Angeles Times

Williams has long professed his innocence and argues that his due process rights were denied throughout his legal battle.

From Salon

She professed her love for him and owned up to the ills of her ways.

From Los Angeles Times

When the 3 Beslan mothers complained to Putin about that in August, at their meeting, he professed surprise and promised to look into it.

From BBC

Related Words

• stated