revenue

noun

rev·​e·​nue ˈre-və-ˌnü 

-ˌnyü

often attributive

1

: the total income produced by a given source

a property expected to yield a large annual revenue

2

: the gross income returned by an investment

3

: the yield of sources of income (such as taxes) that a political unit (such as a nation or state) collects and receives into the treasury for public use

4

: a government department concerned with the collection of the national revenue

Synonyms

• earnings
• gain(s)
• income
• incoming(s)
• proceeds
• profit
• return
• yield

Examples of revenue in a Sentence

The factory lost revenue because of the strike by the workers.

The firm is looking for another source of revenue.

Government officials have reported a decrease in revenue.

state and federal tax revenues

Recent Examples on the Web

Its revenues for the first half of the current financial year were down 23.5%, while its losses last year amounted to £148 million ($184 million). —Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 16 Apr. 2024

Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. —USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024

That’s less than half the 11.2% growth in subscription revenue. —Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 16 Apr. 2024

The company posted $78 million in revenue for the year ending December 31, 2023. —Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2024

Trump Media lost $58 million in 2023 and made just $4.1 million in revenue. —Krystal Hur, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024

There are no loans available (at least not without personal guarantees, valuable collateral, a year of revenue, and high interest rates). —Alissa Jubelirer, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2024

Although Trump's stake in the company has gone up and down in value, it's still currently valued at about $2 billion — a substantial sum for a company that lost $58 million last year and had marginal revenue. —Rafael Nam, NPR, 15 Apr. 2024

In 2017, with more families moving in, the city devoted its growing revenues to West Sacramento Home Run, an initiative offering universal pre-school and college saving accounts. —Joe Mathews, The Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, return, revenue, from Anglo-French, from revenir to return, from Latin revenire, from re- + venire to come — more at come

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing revenue

• revenue bond
• revenue cutter
• revenue stamp
• revenue tariff

Kids Definition

revenue

noun

rev·​e·​nue ˈrev-ə-ˌn(y)ü 

1

: the income produced by a given source

2

: the income that a government collects for public use

Legal Definition

revenue

noun

rev·​e·​nue ˈre-və-ˌnü, -ˌnyü 

often attributive

1

: the total income produced by a given source

a property expected to yield a large annual revenue

2

: the gross income returned by an investment

3

: the yield of sources of income (as taxes) that a political unit (as a nation or state) collects and receives into the treasury for public use

4

: a government department concerned with the collection of national revenue