profit

[prof-it]

noun

1. Often profits.

   1. pecuniary gain resulting from the employment of capital in any transaction.

   2. the ratio of such pecuniary gain to the amount of capital invested.

   3. returns, proceeds, or revenue, as from property or investments.

   Synonyms: return
   Antonyms: loss

2. the monetary surplus left to a producer or employer after deducting wages, rent, cost of raw materials, etc..

   The company works on a small margin of profit.

   Synonyms: net income

3. advantage; benefit; gain.

   Synonyms: worth, use, avail, good

verb (used without object)

1. to gain an advantage or benefit.

   He profited greatly from his schooling.

2. to make a profit.

3. to take advantage.

   to profit from the weaknesses of others.

4. to be of service or benefit.

5. to make progress.

verb (used with object)

1. to be of advantage or profit to.

   Nothing profits one so much as a sound education.

   Synonyms: help, advance

profit

/ ˈprɒfɪt /

noun

1. (often plural) excess of revenues over outlays and expenses in a business enterprise over a given period of time, usually a year

2. the monetary gain derived from a transaction

3. 1. income derived from property or an investment, as contrasted with capital gains

   2. the ratio of this income to the investment or principal

4. economics

   1. the income or reward accruing to a successful entrepreneur and held to be the motivating factor of all economic activity in a capitalist economy

   2. ( as modifier )

      the profit motive

5. a gain, benefit, or advantage

verb

1. to gain or cause to gain profit

Other Word Forms

• profitless adjective
• profiter noun
• profitlessly adverb
• profitlessness noun
• proprofit adjective
• self-profit noun
• unprofited adjective
• unprofiting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of profit¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; (for the noun) Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin prōfectus “progress, profit,” noun use of past participle of prōficere “to make progress,” from prō- pro- ¹ + -ficere, combining form of facere “to do, make” ( fact ); verb derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of profit¹

C14: from Latin prōfectus advance, from prōficere to make progress; see _proficient

Example Sentences

And let us not forget — the El Segundo, Calif.-based company, which went public in 2019, last reported a quarterly profit in May 2020, and has yet to turn an annual profit.

Read more on MarketWatch

Drug cartels exist for profit; all purveyors of illicit drugs are in the business to make money.

Read more on Salon

Strategy’s average purchase price is about $74,000 a Bitcoin, giving it a profit cushion.

Read more on Barron's

Strategy’s average purchase price is about $74,000 a Bitcoin, giving it a profit cushion.

Read more on Barron's

“Banks will need to increase provisions, which will take a bite out of profit.”

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• acquisition 
• benefit 
• bottom line 
• earnings 
• goods 
• harvest 
• income 
• interest 
• output 
• percentage 
• proceeds 
• product 
• production 
• receipt 
• return 
• revenue 
• saving 
• surplus 
• turnout 
• value 

When To Use

What are other ways to say profit?

A profit is a gain or valuable return. How does it differ from an advantage or a benefit? Find out on Thesaurus.com.