Word: profuse (adjective)

Associations

The word "profuse" means something done or given in large amounts, often more than necessary. It is often used to describe things like apologies, sweat, thanks, or bleeding — when these are very abundant or excessive.

• "She gave profuse thanks to everyone who helped." Here, it means she thanked a lot, very warmly and repeatedly.
• "After running, he was profuse in sweat." This means he was sweating a lot.
• "The patient was bleeding profusely." This means the bleeding was heavy or excessive.

A well-known synonym is "abundant." The difference is that "profuse" often implies something flowing or spreading freely and sometimes unexpectedly, while "abundant" just means there is a large quantity, often in a positive or neutral way.

Substitution

You can replace "profuse" with words like:

• abundant (general large quantity)
• excessive (too much, sometimes negative)
• plentiful (enough or more than enough)
• copious (large in quantity, often used for writing or notes)

Each substitution changes the tone a bit. For example, "excessive" sounds more negative than "profuse."

Deconstruction

"Profuse" comes from Latin "profusus," meaning "poured forth."

• Prefix "pro-" means "forward" or "forth."
• Root "fuse" comes from "fundere," meaning "to pour." So "profuse" literally means "poured forth," which helps explain its meaning of something flowing or given in large amounts.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you or someone else was profuse in apologies or thanks?
• How would you describe a situation where sweat or tears are profuse? What emotions might be involved?
• Do you think "profuse" is always positive, or can it sometimes sound negative? Why?