profit
[prof-it]
- Often profits.
- pecuniary gain resulting from the employment of capital in any transaction.Compare gross profit, net profit.
- the ratio of such pecuniary gain to the amount of capital invested.
- returns, proceeds, or revenue, as from property or investments.
- 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.
- advantage; benefit; gain.
Show More
- to gain an advantage or benefit: He profited greatly from his schooling.
- to make a profit.
- to take advantage: to profit from the weaknesses of others.
- to be of service or benefit.
- to make progress.
Show More
- to be of advantage or profit to: Nothing profits one so much as a sound education.
Show More
Origin of profit
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comSynonym study
3. See advantage.
Antonyms
1. loss.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
earncontributeprosperthriveimprovebetterusepromotehelppayclearserveutilizeavailbenefitscoreaidrecoverrealizeexploitExamples from the Web for profiting
Contemporary Examples
Allowing residents to grow, smoke, and gift weed, it legalizes participating in the weed community, but not profiting from it.
Modern angst aside, those with those with specialized grooming simply seem to have a better chance of shining and profiting.
The legislature of Montana enacted a new law to keep him from profiting from his own version of the story.
Beyond his on-screen participation, Ai gave Klayman free rein on the film and is not profiting from it.
Why they should even be profiting from such ratings is another equally troubling issue.
Standard & Poor’s and Other Ratings Agencies Must End Their Power TripZachary Karabell
January 12, 2012
Historical Examples
Profiting by these aids, an improved type of cable was designed.
Heroes of the TelegraphJ. Munro
Dimly it passed through my mind that she had been profiting by her lessons lately.
It Happened in EgyptC. N. Williamson
To take your life would be to deprive you of the means of profiting by this lesson.
The Lion's SkinRafael Sabatini
The vigilantes themselves, profiting by the momentary diversion, got away.
The Mountain DivideFrank H. Spearman
"Yes, sir," replied Bottles quickly, profiting by Paddy's lesson.
The O'RuddyStephen Crane
profit
- (often plural) excess of revenues over outlays and expenses in a business enterprise over a given period of time, usually a year
- the monetary gain derived from a transaction
- income derived from property or an investment, as contrasted with capital gains
- the ratio of this income to the investment or principal
- economics
- the income or reward accruing to a successful entrepreneur and held to be the motivating factor of all economic activity in a capitalist economy
- (as modifier)the profit motive
- a gain, benefit, or advantage
Show More
- to gain or cause to gain profit
Show More
Word Origin
C14: from Latin prōfectus advance, from prōficere to make progress; see proficient
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for profiting
profit
n.
mid-13c., "income;" c.1300, "benefit, advantage;"from Old French prufit, porfit "profit, gain" (mid-12c.), from Latin profectus "profit, advance, increase, success, progress," noun use of past participle of proficere (see proficiency). As the opposite of loss, it replaced Old English gewinn. Profit margin attested from 1853.
Show More
profit
v.
early 14c., "to advance, benefit, gain," from profit (n.) and from Old French prufiter, porfiter "to benefit," from prufit (see profit (n.)). Related: Profited; profiting.
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper