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Profitable: Definition, Usage & Key Examples (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：financially beneficial (profitable)
profitable
/ˈprɒfɪtəbl/
adj.
Describes something that brings more money in than what was spent on it.
financially beneficial
➕
/faɪˈnænʃəli ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃəl/
adj.
This meaning focuses strictly on monetary gain, indicating that an investment, business, or action generates more revenue than its costs.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From 'profit' (financial gain) + '-able' (capable of).
💡 Mnemonic
Profit on the table shows it's profitable.
📖 Example
Starting an online store selling handmade crafts became a profitable venture for her.
Launching an online shop for handmade crafts turned into a financially beneficial business for her.
🔗 Collocations
profitable business – a company or enterprise that yields a financial surplus
highly profitable – generating a very large amount of profit
profitable investment – an allocation of money that results in a financial return
🔄 Synonyms
lucrative (adj.) – producing a great deal of profit, often with a stronger emphasis on high yields
remunerative (adj.) – yielding financial reward or payment for work or service
moneymaking (adj.) – designed or able to generate money
🚫 Antonyms
unprofitable (adj.) – not yielding profit or financial gain
loss-making (adj.) – resulting in a financial loss
🌱 Derivatives
profitability (n.) – the degree to which a business or activity yields profit
profitably (adv.) – in a way that yields profit or benefit
📖 Cultural Story
The word originates from Latin 'proficere' meaning 'to make progress, to be useful'. In late Middle English, it specifically gained the commercial sense of 'yielding monetary advantage'. Its dominance in business contexts reflects capitalism's core value of measurable gain.
Meaning 2：beneficial and worthwhile (profitable)
profitable
/ˈprɒfɪtəbl/
adj.
Describes an activity that is worth doing because it brings good results or useful experience.
beneficial and worthwhile
➕
/ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃəl ənd ˈwɜrθˈwaɪl/
adj.
This meaning extends beyond money to any activity that yields valuable results, useful experience, or personal growth, making the effort spent on it justified.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
Spending an hour each day learning a new language is a profitable use of your time.
Dedicating sixty minutes daily to acquiring a new language constitutes a beneficial and worthwhile allocation of your time.
🔗 Collocations
profitable discussion – a conversation that yields useful ideas or resolutions
profitable experience – an event or activity from which one gains valuable knowledge or insight
mutually profitable – beneficial to all parties involved
🔄 Synonyms
worthwhile (adj.) – sufficiently valuable or important to justify the time or effort spent
productive (adj.) – achieving significant results, especially in creating or developing something
advantageous (adj.) – involving or creating favorable circumstances
🚫 Antonyms
unproductive (adj.) – not producing good or helpful results; not achieving much
fruitless (adj.) – failing to achieve the desired results; pointless
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