very profitable or money-making

lucrative

adjective|/ˈluː.krə.tɪv/

Producing a great deal of profit or wealth

Examples

In a meeting

The consulting contract turned out to be our most lucrative deal this year.

Over coffee

She found a lucrative side hustle selling handmade jewelry.

Why this word

profitable

lucrative emphasizes producing substantial wealth or financial gain, while profitable just means yielding any profit

rewarding

lucrative specifically refers to monetary gain, while rewarding can refer to any type of benefit including emotional satisfaction

beneficial

lucrative specifically means financially advantageous with significant returns, while beneficial refers to any kind of positive outcome

Usage tip

Use specifically for financial gain; more sophisticated than 'profitable' in conversation

Etymology

Latin 'lucrativus' meaning 'profitable' (from 'lucrari' to gain)

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