Meaning

noun an analysis (often in graphical form) representing the extent to which something exhibits various characteristics

noun an outline of something (especially a human face as seen from one side)

noun biographical sketch

originFrom French profil, from Italian profilo (“a border”), later also proffilo (“a side-face, profile”), from Latin pro (“before”) + filo (“a line, stroke, thread”), from filum (“a thread”); see file. Doublet of purfle.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0