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

Other Word Forms

• half-professed adjective
• nonprofessed adjective
• self-professed adjective
• unprofessed adjective
• professedly adverb

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

That’s what Rams edge rusher Jared Verse professed Thursday when asked about returning to play the Philadelphia Eagles before their fans at Lincoln Financial Field.

From Los Angeles Times

Kirk, a devout Christian, professed viewpoints on gender, race and abortion that drew backlash from many liberals, especially on the campuses he toured.

From BBC

He was a professed Christian and a provocateur who took his message to places that were often hostile; he welcomed a back-and-forth with those who disagreed with his views.

From Salon

“The funding freezes could and likely will harm the very people Defendants professed to be protecting,” she wrote.

From Salon

The Republicans of the modern era — and you can find examples of this throughout the country’s history — have no stand on their professed principles.

From Salon

Related Words

• stated