profiler

American

[proh-fahy-ler] / ˈproʊ faɪ lər /

noun

any of several types of machine tools for reproducing shapes in metal or other materials from a master form.

profiler British

/ ˈprəʊfaɪlə /

noun

a person or device that creates a profile, esp someone with psychological training who assists police investigations by identifying the likely characteristics of the perpetrator of a particular crime

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of profiler

First recorded in 1900–05; profile + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But O’Toole, the retired FBI profiler, said attackers don’t think of it that way.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

Aggie is a Pulitzer Prize–winning author and profiler of modern icons who hasn’t published much since her bestselling memoir came out in 2018.

From Salon • Nov. 19, 2025

For the Disney+ documentary, he gave buzzy celebrity profiler R.J.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2024

This Wondery podcast, hosted by the former F.B.I. criminal profiler Candice DeLong, who also spent a decade as a psychiatric nurse, examines the case and all the systemic breakdowns that led Bardo straight to Schaeffer.

From New York Times • Nov. 20, 2024

Ha, coquìn! de mon dernier jour Tu croyais profiler, peut-être; Tu oses me jouer ce tour!

From Musa Pedestris - Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes [1536 - 1896] by Farmer, John Stephen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023