money-making

noun

The acquisition of money.

“a moneymaking idea”

Meanings

nounmoney-making (countable and uncountable, plural money-makings)

plural money-makings · alternative US moneymaking

  1. countableuncountableThe acquisition of money.

    obstinacy in money-making

    1855, Henry Hart Milman, History of Latin Christianity
    3 more examples

    He rejoined, “Thy calling is of no account in our city, where not a soul understandeth science or even writing or aught save money-making.”

    1885, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “The Second Kalandar’s Tale. [Night 12.]”, in A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now Entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume I, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC, page 115

    Love, in fact, having in this modern world-movement been denied, and its natural manifestations affected with a sense of guilt and of sin, has really languished and ceased to play its natural part in life; and a vast number of people - both men and women, finding themselves barred or derailed from the main object of existence, have turned their energies to 'business' or 'money-making' or 'social advancement' or something equally futile, as the only poor substitute and pis aller open to them.

    1920, Edward Carpenter, Pagan and Christian Creeds, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., published 1921, page 189

    Controversy has surrounded some of the schemes, which local authorities and commuters have seen as putting money-making before travel.

    2023 October 18, “Network News: TfL creates property company to raise funds”, in RAIL, number 994, page 17
adjective

alternative US moneymaking

  1. Profitable.

    a moneymaking idea

    1 more example

    He's always working on one money-making project or another.

  2. For profit.

    We're a moneymaking enterprise, not a charity.

Cite this entry
APA

money-making. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/money-making

MLA

“money-making.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/money-making. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “money-making,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/money-making.

Source: money-making on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.