Word of the Day

: March 3, 2007

lucrative

adjective LOO-kruh-tiv

What It Means

: producing wealth : profitable

lucrative in Context

The governor believes that biotechnology will be a lucrative field that can replace manufacturing as the mainstay of the state's economy.

Did You Know?

"Paying," "gainful," "remunerative," and "lucrative" share the meaning of bringing in a return of money, but each term casts a different light on how much green you take in. "Paying" is the word for jobs that yield the smallest potatoes -- your first paying job probably provided satisfactory compensation, but you weren't going to get rich by it. "Gainful" employment might offer a bit more cash, and "gainful" certainly suggests that an individual is motivated by a desire for gain. "Remunerative" implies that a job provides more than the usual rewards, but a "lucrative" position is the one you want -- those are the kind that go well beyond your initial hopes or expectations.