English Reference
Noun

profitability

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˌpɹɑfɪtəˈbɪɫɪti/ UK /pɹˌɒfɪtəbˈɪlɪti/ prof·itabil·i·ty

n.the ability of a business to make more money than it spends. It shows how successful a company is at turning its work into profit.

n.the degree to which a business or activity yields financial gain after all expenses are deducted. Often used as a metric to evaluate the efficiency and long-term viability of an enterprise.


SIMPLE

The company is focusing on long-term profitability rather than quick sales.

CONTEXTUAL

Rising energy costs have significantly impacted the profitability of local manufacturing firms this quarter.

COMPLEX

While the startup achieved impressive user growth in its first year, investors remain concerned about its path to profitability given the high cost of customer acquisition.

Usage

Uncountable in its general sense; occasionally used as a countable noun when comparing different profit-making models or sectors.

Research has also found that companies with more ethnic and cultural diversity on their executive teams are more likely to outperform on profitability.

Phys.org· 24 Aug 2026

However, by giving bosses complete control over such decisions, we are in danger of affirming the importance of profitability over well-being and ignoring the needs of working parents.

Phys.org· 18 Aug 2026

From profitable + -ity.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated