profitable

[ prof-i-tuh-buhl ]

adjective

1. yielding profit; remunerative:

   a profitable deal.

2. beneficial or useful.

   Synonyms: helpful, valuable, advantageous

profitable

/ ˈprɒfɪtəbəl /

adjective

1. affording gain, benefit, or profit

Derived Forms

• ˈprofitableness, noun
• ˈprofitably, adverb

Other Words From

• profit·a·bili·ty profit·a·ble·ness noun
• profit·a·bly adverb
• nonprof·it·a·bili·ty noun
• non·profit·a·ble adjective
• non·profit·a·ble·ly adverb
• non·profit·a·ble·ness noun
• sub·profit·a·ble adjective
• sub·profit·a·ble·ness noun
• sub·profit·a·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of profitable¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English; profit + -able

Example Sentences

So we travelled to the city of Erbil and enlisted the help of a local man with knowledge of smuggling gangs to find out more about the shady but hugely profitable smuggling industry.

From BBC

The panelists are not in agreement about the overall quality of the year’s slate, though: “It was a thin year for exceptional animation but not for profitable animation,” says Tim Cogshell.

From Los Angeles Times

"While they are not profitable for large-scale industrial mining, they are profitable for small-scaling mining," he told the BBC Focus on Africa podcast.

From BBC

After years of him spending every free minute on the farm, his orchard became productive and profitable enough to sustain itself.

From Los Angeles Times

The newly appointed Border Security Commander, Martin Hewitt, has told us: “We will keep chipping away and undermining their business to the point where that is no longer viable and profitable.”

From BBC

Related Words

• beneficial
• commercial
• cost-effective
• effective
• fruitful
• good
• lucrative
• practical
• productive
• rewarding
• successful
• useful
• valuable
• worthwhile