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revenue

REV-uh-noo /ˈrev.ə.njuː/

nounB2IELTSTOEFLGMATCAT

formalbusinessnews

Income received by an organization or government, particularly on a regular basis from taxes, sales, or investments.

Revenue represents total incoming money before any expenses or costs are deducted.

The story behind the word. From Old French 'revenue' (a return, yield), derived from Latin 'revenire' ('re-' back + 'venire' to come). Originally, it referred to the annual return or yield produced by land or property — money that 'came back' to the owner every season.

Word relationships

income: 'Income' applies to individuals or businesses after deductions, whereas 'revenue' usually denotes total gross receipts of state or corporate bodies.
yield: 'Yield' emphasizes the return generated from an investment, while 'revenue' is total incoming funds.

expenditure: 'Expenditure' is money paid out, while 'revenue' is money coming in.

Commonly confused with

profit: Revenue is total earnings before expenses; profit is what remains after expenses are paid.

Word family

revenue-generating (adjective): Capable of producing incoming money.

Collocations

revenue stream
tax revenue
annual revenue
revenue collection
revenue target

Example sentences

"Tax reform led to a significant increase in national revenue over the third quarter." Government Finance
"The tech firm generated record corporate revenue despite rising supply chain costs." Corporate Earnings

Memory hook

Re-venue = Money that returns (comes back) to the government every tax year. Revenue = Incoming cash returns.

When not to use

Do not confuse revenue with profit; profit is what remains after subtracting expenses from total revenue.

Fun facts

In the 18th century, 'Revenue Cutters' were armed customs vessels sent out to intercept smugglers and ensure duties were paid.