ECONOMIC PROFIT: The difference between business revenue and total opportunity cost. This is the revenue received by a business over and above the minimum needed to produce a good. In this sense, economic profit is a sign of inefficiency. If a business receives an economic profit, then society (the buyers) are spending more on a good than society (the resource owners) are giving up to produce the good.

     See also | profit | opportunity cost | efficiency | economic rent | market control | economic growth | accounting profit | normal profit |