different between lucrative vs ludicrous

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French lucratif, from Latin lucrativus (“profitable”), from lucratus, past participle of lucror (“I gain”), from lucrum (“gain”). Compare Spanish lucrar.

Adjective

lucrative (comparative more lucrative, superlative most lucrative)

1. Producing a surplus; profitable.
2. (military) Of a target: worth attacking; whose destruction is militarily useful.
   • 2001, Eric R. Taylor, Lethal Mists (page 196)

     Command and Control centers and headquarters are strategically important and lucrative targets.

   • 1999, Anthony H. Cordesman, Iran's Military Forces in Transition (page 208)

     Its troops can be widely dispersed as light infantry, using light anti-ship, anti-air and anti-land missiles and weapons to defenda given area or facility without presenting lucrative targets for air, missile, and artillery fire.

Usage notes

• Said of profession, occupation, position, office, business, deal, etc.

Antonyms

• nonlucrative

Derived terms

• lucratively
• lucrativeness
• unlucrative

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

• lucrative in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• lucrative in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• revictual, victualer

French

Adjective

lucrative

1. feminine singular of lucratif

Italian

Adjective

lucrative

1. feminine plural of lucrativo

Anagrams

• reclutavi

English

Etymology

First attested in 1619. From Latin l?dicrus, from l?d? (“play”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?lu?.d?.k??s/, /?lju?.d?.k??s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?lu?.d?.k??s/

Adjective

ludicrous (comparative more ludicrous, superlative most ludicrous)

1. Idiotic or unthinkable, often to the point of being funny.

2. Amusing by being plainly incongruous or absurd.
   • 2014, Paul Doyle, "Southampton hammer eight past hapless Sunderland in barmy encounter", The Guardian, 18 October 2014:

     Five minutes later, Southampton tried to mount their first attack, but Wickham sabotaged the move by tripping the rampaging Nathaniel Clyne, prompting the referee, Andre Marriner, to issue a yellow card. That was a lone blemish on an otherwise tidy start by Poyet’s team – until, that is, the 12th minute, when Vergini produced a candidate for the most ludicrous own goal in Premier League history.

Synonyms

• (idiotic or unthinkable): laughable, ridiculous, risible

Related terms

• (idiotic or unthinkable): ludicrously, ludicrousness

Translations