/ ˈprɒfɪt; NAmE ˈprɑːfɪt/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C , U ] profit on sth | profit from sth the money that you make in business or by selling things, especially after paying the costs involved :
a rise / an increase / a drop / a fall in profits
The company made a healthy profit on the deal.
Profit from exports rose 7.3%
Net profit (= after you have paid costs and tax) was up 16.1%.
The sale generated record profits .
We should be able to sell the house at a profit .
The agency is voluntary and not run for profit .
OPP loss
2.
[ U ] ( formal ) the advantage that you get from doing sth :
Future lawyers could study this text with profit.
■ verb
profit (by / from sth) ( formal ) to get sth useful from a situation; to be useful to sb or give them an advantage :
[ v ]
Farmers are profiting from the new legislation.
We tried to profit by our mistakes (= learn from them) .
[ vn ]
Many local people believe the development will profit them.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense advantage, benefit ): from Old French , from Latin profectus progress, profit, from proficere to advance, from pro- on behalf of + facere do. The verb is from Old French profiter .