v.
- claim that one has (a quality or feeling).
- affirm one's faith in or allegiance to (a religion).
▸
(be professed)
be received into a religious order under vows.
- archaic or humorous teach (a subject) as a professor.
- archaic have or claim knowledge or skill in.
Etymology
ME: from L. profess-, profiteri ‘declare publicly’, from pro- ‘before’ + fateri ‘confess’.