'profitably' originates from the Latin word 'profitabilis,' where 'pro-' meant 'for' and 'facere' meant 'to make or do.'

'profitabilis' transformed into the Old French word 'profitable,' and eventually became the modern English word 'profitable,' with 'profitably' as its adverbial form.

Initially, it meant 'capable of yielding profit,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.