Definition

An increase in the price of a product, often added to cover costs and profit, or a set of instructions for formatting documents in computing.

Example

The store applied a markup to the original price of the shoes to ensure a profit.

Conversation

Have you seen the new pricing markup on those shoes?

Yeah, it’s crazy how much they increased the price!

I wonder if it’s due to the demand or just a seasonal markup.

Probably a bit of both — it seems to happen every year.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Markup → It is formed from "mark" (from Old English *mearc*, meaning a boundary or sign) and "up" (meaning to a higher position). The word "markup" refers to the amount added to the cost of a product to determine its selling price, essentially marking it up from its original cost.

Memory Tip

Think of 'mark' as setting a boundary or price and 'up' as increasing it — that's how markup means the increase in price.

Visually Confused Words