profusion

noun

pro·​fu·​sion prə-ˈfyü-zhən How to pronounce profusion (audio)
prō-
1
: lavish expenditure : extravagance
2
: the quality or state of being profuse
3
: great quantity : lavish display or supply
snow falling in profusion

Did you know?

A profusion is literally a "pouring forth", so a profusion of gifts is a wealth or abundance of gifts. A profusely illustrated book is filled to overflowing with pictures. A bad social error should be followed by profuse apologies, and profound gratitude should be expressed with profuse thanks.

Examples of profusion in a Sentence

The flowers grow in profusion. apples grow in profusion in this valley
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The two-guest home, complete with a full kitchen, is surrounded by the charming Cady Hill Forest, home to over 11 miles of trails—and a profusion of color when the leaves change each fall. Stephanie Vermillion, Outside Online, 6 Nov. 2024 Both are experiments in light—the former considering how a profusion of illuminated rooms and cars had reshaped the Manhattan sky, the latter mulling how a gigantic boulder can turn a sunny landscape dark. Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 12 Sep. 2024 By Judy Berman September 5, 2024 12:40 PM EDT What more could possibly be left to say about TV’s post-Big Little Lies profusion of glossy domestic thrillers? Judy Berman, TIME, 5 Sep. 2024 The results covered Earth’s temperature over the past 485 million years, the majority of the Phanerozoic, covering a span of time that saw the early profusion of animal life in the seas, the emergence of plants onto land and several mass extinctions. Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for profusion 

Word History

First Known Use

1545, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of profusion was in 1545

Dictionary Entries Near profusion

Cite this Entry

“Profusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/profusion. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

profusion

noun
pro·​fu·​sion prə-ˈfyü-zhən How to pronounce profusion (audio)
: a plentiful supply : great quantity
lilacs blooming in profusion

More from Merriam-Webster on profusion

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