v., -fessed, -fess·ing, -fess·es. v.tr.
- To affirm openly; declare or claim: "a physics major (Gina Maranto).
- To make a pretense of; pretend: "top officials who were deeply involved with the arms sales but later professed ignorance of them" (David Johnston).
- To practice as a profession or claim knowledge of: profess medicine.
- To teach (a subject) as a professor: profess literature.
- To affirm belief in: profess Catholicism.
- To receive into a religious order or congregation.
- To make an open affirmation.
- To take the vows of a religious order or congregation.
[Middle English professen, to take vows, from Old French profes, that has taken a religious vow (from Medieval Latin professus, avowed) and from Medieval Latin professāre, to administer a vow, both from Latin professus, past participle of profitērī, to affirm openly : pro-, forth; see pro-1 + fatērī, to acknowledge.]
professedly pro·fess'ed·ly (-fĕs'ĭd-lē) adv.
