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’.