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What is the difference between surplus and profit?

surplus | profit |

In lang=en terms the difference between surplus and profit

is that surplus is assets left after liabilities and debts, including capital stock have been deducted while profit is in property law, a nonpossessory interest in land whereby a party is entitled to enter the land of another for the purpose of taking the soil or the substance of the soil (coal, oil, minerals, and in some jurisdictions timber and game).

As nouns the difference between surplus and profit

is that surplus is that which remains when use or need is satisfied, or when a limit is reached; excess; overplus while profit is total income or cash flow minus expenditures. The money or other benefit a non-governmental organization or individual receives in exchange for products and services sold at an advertised price.

As an adjective surplus

is being or constituting a surplus; more than sufficient; as, surplus revenues; surplus population; surplus words.

As a verb profit is

to benefit (somebody), be of use to (somebody).

surplus

English

Noun

(en-noun)
  • That which remains when use or need is satisfied, or when a limit is reached; excess; overplus.
  • Specifically, an amount in the public treasury at any time greater than is required for the ordinary purposes of the government.
  • (legal) The remainder of a fund appropriated for a particular purpose.
  • (legal) assets left after liabilities and debts, including capital stock have been deducted.
  • Antonyms

    * lack * deficit

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Being or constituting a surplus; more than sufficient; as, surplus revenues; surplus population; surplus words.
  • * {{quote-magazine, title=A better waterworks, date=2013-06-01, volume=407, issue=8838
  • , page=5 (Technology Quarterly), magazine=(The Economist) citation , passage=An artificial kidney these days still means a refrigerator-sized dialysis machine. Such devices mimic the way real kidneys cleanse blood and eject impurities and surplus water as urine.}}

    profit

    English

    (wikipedia profit)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Total income or cash flow minus expenditures. The money or other benefit a non-governmental organization or individual receives in exchange for products and services sold at an advertised price.
  • * Rambler
  • Let no man anticipate uncertain profits .
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-22, volume=407, issue=8841, page=68, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= T time , passage=The ability to shift profits' to low-tax countries by locating intellectual property in them, which is then licensed to related businesses in high-tax countries, is often assumed to be the preserve of high-tech companies. […] current tax rules make it easy for all sorts of firms to generate […] “stateless income”: ' profit subject to tax in a jurisdiction that is neither the location of the factors of production that generate the income nor where the parent firm is domiciled.}}
  • (dated, literary) Benefit, positive result obtained.
  • * Bible, 1 Corinthians vii. 35
  • This I speak for your own profit .
  • * Shakespeare
  • if you dare do yourself a profit and a right
  • (legal) In property law, a nonpossessory interest in land whereby a party is entitled to enter the land of another for the purpose of taking the soil or the substance of the soil (coal, oil, minerals, and in some jurisdictions timber and game).
  • Usage notes

    Regarding the income sense, when the difference is negative the term loss is correct. Negative profit does appear in microeconomics. Profit by a government agency is called a surplus.

    Synonyms

    * gain

    Antonyms

    * loss

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To benefit (somebody), be of use to (somebody).
  • * Bible, Hebrews iv. 2
  • The word preached did not profit them.
  • * Dryden
  • It is a great means of profiting yourself, to copy diligently excellent pieces and beautiful designs.
  • To benefit, gain.
  • To take advantage of, exploit, use.
  • Derived terms

    * book profit * for-profit * for fun and profit * nonprofit * not-for-profit * paper profit * profit from * profitable * profitably * profiteer * profit margin * profit sharing * profit taking