lucrative
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- lucratively adverb
- lucrativeness noun
- nonlucrative adjective
- nonlucratively adverb
- nonlucrativeness noun
- unlucrative adjective
Etymology
Origin of lucrative
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English lucratif, from Middle French, from Latin lucrātīvus “gainful,” from lucrāt(us) “profited” (past participle of lucrārī “to make a profit, gain by economy”; see lucre) + -īvus -ive
Explanation
Use lucrative to refer to a business or investment that makes money. While your parents might want you to pursue a lucrative career, you're committed to your plan of becoming a professional mime. This adjective is from the Latin word lucrum, meaning "profit." In Latin, lucrum also meant "greed," a negative sense preserved in the English phrase filthy lucre, or "shameful profit or gain." But the word lucrative doesn't carry a similar sense of shame — if your lawn-mowing job proves lucrative over the summer, you might be able to buy yourself a used car.
Vocabulary lists containing lucrative
Grade 10, List 2
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Hidden Figures
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Fast Food Nation
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The acquisition is one of several lucrative deals that midmarket-focused Madison Dearborn struck with CoVant Management.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
You can also talk about how certain bets, like a parlay that combines more than one wager, may sound more lucrative but also increases the likelihood of losing.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026
Beyond the emotional toll, losing partial vision has robbed Castellanos of a potentially lucrative career in esports, according to Pedram Esfandiary, one of his attorneys.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026
To win back snackers, it launched its latest wave of price cuts to coincide with the Super Bowl on 8 February, one of the most lucrative days of the year for snack makers.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Howard Clement of the BSC rejected an attempt by merchants to settle the dispute before their most lucrative period.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
