Profuse

Profuse is an adjective meaning abundant or excessive in amount or extent. It is used to describe things that are produced or expressed in large quantities, often with an emphasis on generosity or abundance. Common collocations include profuse apologies, profuse gratitude, profuse sweating, and profuse bleeding. The word can apply to both physical phenomena and abstract expressions and is often encountered in formal or literary writing.

Etymology: Profuse comes from the Latin profusus, the past participle of profundere “to pour forth,” via Old French. The sense of something poured forth in a large quantity underlies modern usage.

Usage notes: Profuse indicates more than ordinary abundance and often carries a sense of intensity. It is typically followed directly by the noun it modifies (profuse apologies, profuse sweating) rather than used with “of.” In medical contexts, profuse bleeding or profuse sweating signals significant concern. As an adverb, the related form “profusely” means “to a great extent” (he apologized profusely). Related synonyms include copious, lavish, and exuberant; antonyms include scant, sparse, and meager.