pro·fuse

(prə-fyo͞os′, prō-)

adj.

1. Plentiful; copious.

2. Giving or given freely and abundantly; extravagant: were profuse in their compliments.

[Middle English, lavish, from Latin profūsus, past participle of profundere, to pour forth : pro-, forth; see pro-¹ + fundere, to pour; see gheu- in Indo-European roots.]

pro·fuse′ly adv.

pro·fuse′ness n.

Synonyms: profuse, exuberant, lavish, lush¹, luxuriant, prodigal
These adjectives mean marked by unrestrained abundance: profuse apologies; an exuberant growth of moss; lavish praise; lush vegetation; luxuriant hair; prodigal bounty.

Antonym: spare

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

profuseness - the property of being extremely abundant; "the profusion of detail"; "the idiomatic richness of English"

profusion, richness, cornucopia

abundance, copiousness, teemingness - the property of a more than adequate quantity or supply; "an age of abundance"

overgrowth - a profusion of growth on or over something else

greenness, verdancy, verdure - the lush appearance of flourishing vegetation

wilderness - a bewildering profusion; "the duties of citizenship are lost sight of in the wilderness of interests of individuals and groups"; "a wilderness of masts in the harbor"

profuseness

noun

Excessive or imprudent expenditure:

extravagance, extravagancy, lavishness, prodigality, profligacy, profusion, squander, waste, wastefulness.

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Luxuriant vegetation spread in wild profuseness over this prodigal soil.

View in context

The rumor of this extravagant profuseness delighted the hearts of all the shopkeepers in Paris, from the hotel of the Duke of Buckingham to that of the Comte de Grammont nothing but miracles was attempted.

View in context

Many men have been praised as vividly imaginative on the strength of their profuseness in indifferent drawing or cheap narration:-- reports of very poor talk going on in distant orbs; or portraits of Lucifer coming down on his bad errands as a large ugly man with bat's wings and spurts of phosphorescence; or exaggerations of wantonness that seem to reflect life in a diseased dream.

View in context

He was no doubt of opinion that it was quite good enough for a child to experiment upon, and went his way, when I had thanked him with a profuseness of gratitude I still remember, with an unmoved countenance.

View in context

Glegg," said the lady, pouring out the milk with unusual profuseness, as much as to say, if he wanted milk he should have it with a vengeance.

View in context

However, it seems apt to say that the patriarchal system as well as a strict division of social roles across genders did not foster emotional profuseness. Such emotional reserve also characterizes SOA members.

BAD BOYS MEET THE SWAN OF AVON: A RE-VISIONING OF HAMLET IN SONS OF ANARCHY