profit English · revision 3793

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1263|origins=la prōficere}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈprɒf.ɪt/, US /ˈprɑː.fɪt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|profit]],^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|profit|t=advantage, profit]] (also prufit, porfit),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la|prōfectus|t=growth, advance, success, progress]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) a noun use of the past participle of [[m|la|prōficere|t=to make progress, be useful, profit]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[m|la|prō|t=forward]] and the combining form of [[m|la|facere|t=to make, do]].^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) The verb comes partly from the noun and partly from Old French profiter.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) An Old English word for gain was gewinn.^(Etymonline) It is related to [[proficient]] and [[profiteer]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Income, earnings, revenue: 1263 in Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) mid-13th century in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) which glosses it as income from an office, property or transaction.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From about 1300 it meant “benefit, spiritual benefit, advantage”,^(Etymonline) and in the mid-14th century “use, usefulness”.^(Etymonline) The economic sense, the gain to the owner of capital beyond expenditure, is from about 1600,^(Etymonline) or the 17th century in Hoad.^(Hoad 1986) The verb, “to advance, benefit”, is from the early 14th century,^(Etymonline) “to be helpful” from the mid-14th century^(Etymonline) and “to derive benefit” from about 1400.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) ''Profit margin'' is attested from 1853 and ''profit-sharing'' by 1881.^(Etymonline) ''Profiteer'', one who makes an unfair profit, is from 1912 and was made popular in World War I of armament makers.^(Barnhart 1988) In Shetland and Yorkshire dialect a cow ''in profit'' was in milk.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1263 – income, revenue.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1300 – advantage, benefit.^(Etymonline)

+ * early 14th century – verb, to benefit.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1400 – to derive benefit.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1600 – gain from capital.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1853 – ''profit margin''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1912 – ''profiteer''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An advantageous gain or return; [[benefit]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The return on a business after all expenses have been met.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The return on an [[investment]] after all charges.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To make a gain or profit.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To derive advantage; to benefit.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To be of advantage to.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[profitless]]

+ * [[profitwise]]

+ * [[profiter]]

+ * [[profitlessly]]

+ * [[profitlessness]]

+ * [[for-profit]]

+ * [[unprofited]]

+ * [[unprofiting]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[proficiency]]

+ * [[proficient]]

+ * [[profiteer]]

+ * [[profitable]]

+ * [[fact]]

+ * [[benefit]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}