Profiling Meaning and Definition
Profiling
Pronunciation
/ˈprəfəlaɪɪŋ/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
The act of analyzing or describing an individual or group based on their observed or inferred characteristics, behaviors, or attributes, often with the intention of categorizing, predicting, or manipulating.
Examples
- The company hired a team to profile potential customers and develop targeted marketing campaigns.
- The journalist wrote an exposé on how politicians use profiling to sway public opinion.
Synonyms
- Typification
- Characterization
Antonyms
- Individualization
- anonymization
Etymology
The word “profiling” originates from the French word “profil”, meaning “profile”, which is derived from the Latin word “prophilein”, meaning “to sketch or draw a profile”.
Usage Notes
Social profiling is often used in real-world contexts to understand and connect with target audiences, but it can also be criticized for perpetuating stereotypes and biases.
Cultural References
Profiling is a popular topic in science fiction and social commentary films like “Minority Report” and “The Adjustment Bureau”.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
“Profiling” is often used in idiomatic expressions like “racial profiling” or “profiling on social media”.
Related Words or Phrases
Related words include “recognition”, “identification”, and “categorization”.
Collocations
Common collocates include “done by”, “used for”, “based on”, and “depending on”.
Frequency of Use
Profiling is a commonly used term in contemporary language, especially in the fields of marketing, sociology, and psychology.
Common Misspellings
Common misspellings include “profiliing”, “profylie”, and “profyle”.