net

¹

[ net ]

noun

1. a bag or other contrivance of strong thread or cord worked into an open, meshed fabric, for catching fish, birds, or other animals:

   a butterfly net.

2. a piece of meshed fabric designed to serve a specific purpose, as to divide a court in racket games or protect against insects:

   a tennis net; a mosquito net.

3. anything serving to catch or ensnare:

   a police net to trap the bank robber.

4. a lacelike fabric with a uniform mesh of cotton, silk, rayon, nylon, etc., often forming the foundation of any of various laces.
5. (in tennis, badminton, etc.) a ball that hits the net.
6. Often nets. the goal in hockey or lacrosse.
7. any network or reticulated system of filaments, lines, veins, or the like.
8. Telecommunications. any network containing computers and telecommunications equipment.
9. Sometimes Net. Digital Technology. internet (preceded by the, except when used before a noun):

   An overwhelming majority of Americans now have access to the net at home or at work.

10. Mathematics. the abstraction, in topology, of a sequence; a map from a directed set to a given space.
11. Net, Astronomy. the constellation Reticulum.
12. Informal. a radio or television network.

verb (used with object)

, net·ted, net·ting.

1. to cover, screen, or enclose with a net or netting:

   netting the bed to keep out mosquitoes.

2. to take with a net:

   to net fish.

3. to set or use nets in (a river, stream, etc.), as for catching fish.

   Synonyms: trap, capture, seize

4. to catch or ensnare:

   to net a dangerous criminal.

5. (in tennis, badminton, etc.) to hit (the ball) into the net.

net

²

[ net ]

adjective

1. remaining after deductions, as for charges or expenses ( gross ):

   net earnings.

2. sold at a stated price with all parts and charges included and with all deductions having been made.
3. final; totally conclusive:

   After all that work, what was the net result?

4. (of weight) after deduction of tare, tret, or both.

noun

1. net income, profit, or the like.

verb (used with object)

, net·ted, net·ting.

1. to gain or produce as clear profit.

NET

³

1. National Educational Television.

net

¹

/ nɛt /

noun

1. an openwork fabric of string, rope, wire, etc; mesh retiary
2. a device made of net, used to protect or enclose things or to trap animals
3. 1. a thin light mesh fabric of cotton, nylon, or other fibre, used for curtains, dresses, etc
   2. ( as modifier )

      net curtains

4. a plan, strategy, etc, intended to trap or ensnare

   the murderer slipped through the police net

5. sport
   1. a strip of net that divides the playing area into two equal parts
   2. a shot that hits the net, whether or not it goes over
6. the goal in soccer, hockey, etc
7. often plural cricket
   1. a pitch surrounded by netting, used for practice
   2. a practice session in a net
8. informal.
   short for internet
9. another word for network

verb

1. tr to catch with or as if with a net; ensnare
2. tr to shelter or surround with a net
3. intr sport to score a goal

   Rangers netted three times in seven minutes

4. to make a net out of (rope, string, etc)
5. intr to hit a shot into the net

net

²

/ nɛt /

adjective

1. remaining after all deductions, as for taxes, expenses, losses, etc Compare gross

   net profit

2. (of weight) after deducting tare
3. ultimate; final; conclusive (esp in the phrase net result )

noun

1. net income, profits, weight, etc

verb

1. tr to yield or earn as clear profit

net

³

the internet domain name for

1. a company or organization

net

1. What remains after all deductions have been made. ( Compare gross .)

Other Words From

• netta·ble adjective
• netlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of net¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English,  Old English noun net(t); cognate with Dutch, Old Norse net, Gothic nati, German Netz; akin to Latin nōdus “knot”; verb derivative of the noun

Origin of net²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English net, nette “worthy, good, after deductions”; neat ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of net¹

Old English net; related to Gothic nati, Dutch net

Origin of net²

C14: clean, neat, from French net neat ¹; related to Dutch net, German nett

Example Sentences

A decade ago, some 80% of the world’s population lived in countries that were net importers of food, and the proportion has only grown since then.

From Science Magazine

Gyokeres has netted 24 goals in 17 Sporting games this season.

From BBC

California lost more workers than any other state that was part of the analysis with a net loss of 18,485 job switchers.

From Los Angeles Times

Cox was due to make his own debut as regular keeper Jamie Smith is on paternity leave, but broke his right thumb in the nets during England's warm-up game in Queenstown over the weekend.

From BBC

Hemp companies argue the governor has cast too wide a net.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accumulate
• bring in
• earn
• reap

Net Vs. Gross

What’s the difference between net and gross?

In the context of finance and accounting, net refers to the final amount that remains after deductions have been made, while gross refers to the total amount before any deductions.

Of course, net and gross are common words with many other meanings, but these senses of net and gross are used in the context of measuring something (especially money) that has been accumulated—profit, income, earnings, gains, etc.

The amount described or referred to as gross is everything that has been taken in, not accounting for things like debts, deductions, and expenses. The amount described or referred to as net is how much you have left after you’ve subtracted anything that doesn’t count toward profit, like debts and expenses.

In other words, net is basically gross minus whatever you owe or have spent. For this reason, net is always lower than gross.

For example, let’s say you decide to sell cupcakes at a bake sale. You spend $15 on ingredients, and you have to rent a table for $5, which equals $20 in expenses. Good news, you make $50 in cupcake sales. Your gross is $50. Minus the $20 in expenses, your net is $30. You could say you grossed $50 and netted $30.

To remember the difference, remember that a net sifts whatever goes into it so that only some remains.

Here’s an example of net and gross used correctly in the same sentence.

Example: For this quarter, gross income was $2 million, but $1.25 million in expenses and outstanding debts resulted in a net of only $750,000.

Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between net and gross.

Quiz yourself on net vs. gross!

Should net or gross be used in the following sentence?

I expect to _____ $1,000, after expenses.