profit
B1Neutral to formal
Definition
Meaning
A financial gain; the positive difference between the money earned from selling goods/services and the money spent to produce/acquire them.
Any benefit or advantage gained from an action or situation; to derive benefit or advantage from something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a noun, most commonly refers to monetary gain in business. As a verb, often used with 'from' (profit from). Can have neutral, positive, or negative connotations depending on context (e.g., 'profiteering' vs. 'healthy profit').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling identical. Usage differences are minor, primarily in collocation frequency. In business contexts, 'profit and loss account' (UK) vs. 'profit and loss statement' or 'P&L' (US).
Connotations
Generally neutral in both varieties. The verb 'to profit' may be slightly more common in US business jargon (e.g., 'How will this profit us?').
Frequency
High frequency in both varieties. Slight edge in US English due to cultural emphasis on business/finance.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
N: profit (from N)V: to profit (from N/V-ing)V: N profit (by amount)ADJ: profit-orientedVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Profit from someone's misfortune”
- “Turn a profit”
- “Non-profit organisation”
- “For profit”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The primary context. Refers to the bottom-line financial performance: 'The company announced a 10% rise in pre-tax profits.'
Academic
Used in economics, business studies, and social sciences to discuss efficiency, incentives, or capitalist structures.
Everyday
Common in discussions about personal finance, side hustles, or selling items: 'I sold my old bike at a profit.'
Technical
In finance/accounting: specific terms like 'EBITDA', 'retained profit', 'profit centre'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The charity hopes to profit from the upcoming fundraiser.
- He profited greatly from his years of experience.
American English
- How will our shareholders profit from this merger?
- The company profited handsomely from the new tax law.
adverb
British English
- N/A (No standard adverbial form of 'profit'). Use 'profitably'.
- N/A
adjective
British English
- It was a highly profit-making venture.
- The profit margin was too slim.
American English
- We need a more profit-driven strategy.
- They reviewed the profit-and-loss statement.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The shop makes a small profit.
- Is your business profitable?
- The company's profit increased by 15% last year.
- We can all profit from learning a new skill.
- Despite higher sales, net profits fell due to rising costs.
- He was accused of profiting from insider information.
- The new policy is designed to profit the many, not the few.
- Critics argue that the system profits disproportionately from the most vulnerable.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: PRO + FIT. A professional venture should FIT you with money (a gain).
Conceptual Metaphor
PROFIT IS HEALTH (healthy profit, sickly profits). PROFIT IS A LIQUID (profit stream, flow of profits).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'профит' (slang/internet borrow). The standard translation is 'прибыль'. The verb 'to profit' is 'извлекать выгоду' or 'получать прибыль'. Avoid direct calque 'профитировать'.
- The adjective 'profitable' translates as 'прибыльный' or 'выгодный', not 'профитный'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect preposition: 'profit of' instead of 'profit from' (verb).
- Countable/Uncountable confusion: 'a profit' (specific instance) vs. 'profit' (concept).
- Spelling confusion: 'prophet' vs. 'profit'.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'profit' used as a verb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be both. When referring to a specific amount of money gained, it's countable ('The company made a profit of £2 million'). When referring to the general concept, it can be uncountable ('The pursuit of profit').
Revenue is the total income from sales before expenses are subtracted. Profit is what remains after all expenses (costs, taxes, etc.) are deducted from revenue.
Yes, the verb 'to profit' and the noun in phrases like 'to one's profit' can mean to gain benefit or advantage in a general sense (e.g., 'I profited greatly from his advice').
A 'non-profit organization' (US) or 'not-for-profit organisation' (UK). These entities are not designed to generate profit for owners; any surplus is reinvested in their mission.
Collections
Part of a collection
Business Vocabulary
B1 · 50 words · Fundamental language of commerce and trade.
Economics Terms
B2 · 50 words · Key vocabulary for economics and financial systems.