profile

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun A side view of an object or structure, especially of the human head.
• noun A representation of an object or structure seen from the side. synonym: form.
• noun An outline of an object. synonym: outline.
• noun Degree of exposure to public notice; visibility.
• noun A biographical account presenting the subject's most noteworthy characteristics and achievements.
• noun A set of characteristics that identify or are thought to identify a particular type of person.
• noun A formal summary or analysis of data, often in the form of a graph or table, representing distinctive features or characteristics.
• noun Geology A vertical section of soil or rock showing the sequence of the various layers.
• transitive verb To draw or shape a profile of.
• transitive verb To produce a profile of.
• transitive verb To engage in the ethnic or racial profiling of (a person).

from The Century Dictionary.

• To draw with a side view; outline (any object or objects) so as to show a section as if cut perpendicularly from top to bottom.
• In mech., to impart by means of a tool or tools a definite prescribed form to (pieces of wood or metal) by chiseling, milling, tiling, or like operations.
• Theat., to cut (the edge of wings or set pieces) into irregular shapes to represent trees, rocks, etc.
• noun An outline or contour; specifically, the largest contour or outline of anything, usually seen in or represented by a vertical longitudinal section or side view. For example, nearly all the fishes, butterflies, etc., figured in this dictionary are drawn in profile.
• noun Hence The outline of the human face in a section through the median line: a side view; the side-face or half-face: as, a Greek profile.
• noun A representation of the face in side view: as, profiles cut in black paper are called silhouettes.
• noun In architecture, the outline or contour of anything, such as a building, a figure, a molding, as shown by a section through it.
• noun In engineering and surveying, a vertical section through a work or a section of country, to show the elevations and depressions.
• noun In fortification, a light wooden frame set up to guide workmen in throwing up a parapet.
• noun The outline of a vertical section made through any part of a fortification in a direction perpendicular to its principal bounding lines.
• noun In ceramics, a thin plate, as of zinc, in which is cut the outline of half of an object.
• noun In theatrical, a wing having the outline of a tree. See profile, v. t., 3.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• noun An outline, or contour.
• noun (Paint & Sculp.) A human head represented sidewise, or in a side view; the side face or half face.
• noun (Arch.) A section of any member, made at right angles with its main lines, showing the exact shape of moldings and the like.
• noun (Civil Engin.) A drawing exhibiting a vertical section of the ground along a surveyed line, or graded work, as of a railway, showing elevations, depressions, grades, etc.
• noun (Civil Engin.) paper ruled with vertical and horizontal lines forming small oblong rectangles, adapted for drawing profiles.
• transitive verb to draw the outline of; to draw in profile, as an architectural member.
• transitive verb (Mech.) To shape the outline of an object by passing a cutter around it.
• transitive verb a jigging machine.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• noun countable the outermost shape, view, or edge of an object
• noun countable The shape, view, or shadow of a person's head from the side; a side view.
• noun countable A summary or collection of information, especially about a person
• noun countable a specific space or field in which users can provide various types of personal information in software or Internet systems
• noun uncountable reputation
• noun uncountable the amount by which something protrudes
• noun uncountable prominence; noticeability
• noun archaeology A smoothed (e.g., troweled or brushed) vertical surface of an excavation showing evidence of at least one feature or diagnostic specimen; the graphic recording of such as by sketching, photographing, etc.
• noun character; totality of related characteristics; signature; status (especially in scientific, technical, or military uses)
• verb to create a summary or collection of information, especially about a person
• verb to act based on such a summary; especially, to act on a stereotype. See profiling.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun an outline of something (especially a human face as seen from one side)
• noun degree of exposure to public notice
• noun a vertical section of the Earth's crust showing the different horizons or layers
• noun biographical sketch
• noun an analysis (often in graphical form) representing the extent to which something exhibits various characteristics