for-profitadj.n.
/fəˈprɒfɪt/, /ˈfɔːˌprɒfɪt/, U.S. /ˌfərˈprɑfət/, /ˈfɔrˌprɑfət/ Originally and chiefly U.S.
A. adj.
Designating or relating to an organization operated to make a profit; esp. an institution (such as a hospital, school, etc.) which would more usually be, or was formerly, non-profit-making. Cf. non-profit adj., not-for-profit adj.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > social relations > an association, society, or organization > types of association, society, or organization > [adjective] > other types of association, society, or organization
self-employed1777
faith-based1869
non-profit1896
not-for-profit1913
for-profit1939
1939 Amer. Sociol. Rev. 4 547 Trends in Selected Voluntary Associations... Entire state of Illinois, for sample years 1890–1938, comprising about 200,000 cases of not-for-profit and for-profit corporations.
1956 Mod. Hosp. Dec. 51/2 Of these 200 hospitals less than 100 are not-for-profit institutions. All the rest are in the ‘for profit’ category.
1970 Med. Econ. 30 Mar. 99/1 The for-profit hospitals concentrate on admitting elective patients sooner, providing high-quality patient care in attractive surroundings.
1995 New Yorker 19 June 6/2 The Edison Project, the much ballyhooed scheme to create a chain of for-profit schools across the country.
B. n.
An organization operated to make a profit; esp. an institution (such as a hospital, school, etc.) which would more usually be, or was formerly, non-profit-making. Cf. non-profit n., not-for-profit n.
ΚΠ
1971 Mod. Hosp. Apr. 116 (heading) For-profits are measurably more efficient.
1983 Washington Monthly Feb. 41/2 Now the for-profits are chains, and in recent years they have gobbled up many non-profits and public hospitals.
2000 U.S. News & World Rep. 24 Jan. 44/3 Founded by a former professor of political science and economics at San Jose State University, [University of] Phoenix is the king of the for-profits.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, March 2002; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.n.1939