Profit
/ˈprɒfɪt/noun
Money or gain earned from an activity, especially after expenses are subtracted.
Did you know?Profit entered English through Old French from Latin *proficere*, a verb built from *pro-* (“forward”) + *facere* (“to do, make”), so its oldest sense was about making progress, not just making money.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰeh₁-
“to put, place, make”
Latin
Latin
facere
“to do, make”
Latin
Latin
proficere
“to make progress, accomplish, be of use”
Old French
Old French
profit
“advantage, benefit, gain”
Middle English
English
profit
“benefit, advantage, gain”
Modern English
English
profit
“money or gain earned from an activity after costs”