Winstmachtige

Winstmachtige is a Dutch adjective that translates literally to "profit-making" or "profitable." It is used to describe businesses, ventures, or economic activities that generate a return on investment or generate significant revenue relative to their costs. The term is often applied in a comparative context, distinguishing winstmachtige enterprises from non‑profit or loss‑making ones. In Dutch lexicographic sources such as the Dutch National Corpus and the Groot Hebbeker Woordenboek, winstmachtige is noted as the inflected form of the adjective winstmakend.

In contemporary business discourse, winstmachtige can refer to sectors such as technology, pharmaceuticals, or finance, where high margins are typical. It is also used in policy discussions, for example when evaluating tax incentives for winstmachtige businesses versus those that support social or environmental goals. Scholars sometimes pair the term with "winstbakend" (gain‑taking) and "winstmaximalisatie" (profit maximization) to describe economic motivations that prioritize revenue over other values.

Because Dutch adjectives agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify, winstmachtige appears in forms like winstmachtig, winstmachtigen, and winstmachtigeen. Its usage is largely neutral; however, it can carry implicit value judgments in editorial contexts, where a focus on winstmachtige activities might be critiqued for lacking social responsibility. Nonetheless, the word remains a standard descriptive element in Dutch economic and linguistic literature.