'Profit' is financial gain; 'prophet' is someone who predicts the future or delivers divine messages.
Noun/verb. Financial gain remaining after costs are subtracted from revenue. Also: to gain benefit from something.
The company posted a record profit in its third quarter.
After costs, the event generated a net profit of twelve thousand dollars.
We need to reduce overhead to improve our profit margins.
Noun. A person regarded as an inspired teacher or diviner. Someone who predicts future events.
The prophet warned the city of the coming disaster.
He was seen as a prophet of the digital revolution in the 1980s.
No prophet is accepted in their own hometown — change often comes from outsiders.
Common mistake
"The prophet of the company increased" when meaning financial gain (correct: profit). Or "He proved to be a profit in his industry" when meaning visionary (correct: prophet).
Trick to remember it
'Profit' ends in FIT — a profitable business is financially fit. 'Prophet' has PH like 'philosophy', 'phone', 'photo' — many Greek-origin words of intellectual or spiritual significance use PH.
Quick rule
Is it financial gain? 'Profit'. Is it the person who predicts the future or delivers divine messages? 'Prophet'.
Did you know?
'Prophet' comes from Greek 'prophetes' (one who speaks before, or on behalf of, the divine). The PH spelling is Greek — Latin would have used F. When words arrived in English through Latin, the PH was preserved as a marker of Greek origin. This is why 'philosophy', 'physics', 'photo' all have PH. 'Profit' comes from Latin 'profectus' (progress, advance) — no Greek, no PH, just the straightforward F.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The business reported a thirty percent increase in _____ compared to the previous year.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
Steve Jobs was seen by many as a _____ who foresaw the smartphone revolution.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Is it financial gain? 'Profit'. Is it the person who predicts the future or delivers divine messages? 'Prophet'.
"The prophet of the company increased" when meaning financial gain (correct: profit). Or "He proved to be a profit in his industry" when meaning visionary (correct: prophet).
'Profit' ends in FIT — a profitable business is financially fit. 'Prophet' has PH like 'philosophy', 'phone', 'photo' — many Greek-origin words of intellectual or spiritual significance use PH.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy