noun / verb

return

A gain or result produced by an activity.

The small investment returns a modest profit each year.

Etymology

The word for coming back extends to what comes back from an effort or investment. A return is the gain yielded by what was put into the activity.

More examples

  • Her hard work brought little return at first.
  • The fund returned six percent last year.
  • They compared the returns from two projects.

Forms

return · returns · returned · returning

Similar words

yield
Often names the amount produced by an investment or activity.
profit
Specifically financial gain after costs rather than any result.