Word of the Day

Tuesday, August 28, 2001

profuse

\pruh-FYOOS; proh-\ , adjective;

Pouring forth with fullness or exuberance; giving or given liberally and abundantly; extravagant.

Exhibiting great abundance; plentiful; copious; bountiful.

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Quotes:

Lo and behold, when the time came to pay the check, it turned out that my pants had been torn by a nail strategically located under the table. Profuse apologies and "please don't pay for this dinner" followed.

-- George Lang, Nobody Knows the Truffles I've Seen

Thickets of brambles and vines grew in profuse, obscuring tangles between our house and the road.

-- Reeve Lindbergh, Under a Wing

Origin:

Profuse comes from Latin profusus, past participle of profundere, "to pour forth," from pro-, "forth" + fundere, "to pour."