lucrativus

Lucrativus is a Latin adjective meaning profitable or lucrative. It describes something that yields profit or advantage, often used in economic or practical contexts in Latin texts.

Etymology and forms: The term is formed from lucrum, meaning profit, with the suffix -ativus, which creates adjectives indicating a quality or relation. The standard declension yields masculine lucrativus, feminine lucrativa, and neuter lucrativum; related nouns such as lucrativitas express profitability or lucrativeness.

Usage: In classical and medieval Latin, lucrativus appears in expressions like res lucrativa “a profitable thing” or negotium lucrativum “a lucrative venture.” It is one of several Latin -ativus adjectives that convey a commercial or advantageous sense and can modify nouns accordingly.

Influence and cognates: The word has cognates in Romance languages, such as French lucratif, Spanish lucrativo, and Italian lucrativo, all derived from the same Latin root. The English word lucrative ultimately traces back to lucrativus through these languages, reflecting the same meaning of profitability.

See also: lucrum; lucrativitas; lucrative (English).