Gross earnings refer to the total amount of income earned over a period of time by an individual/household or a company. For individuals and households, gross earnings are the income earned before the deduction of taxes or adjustments. Gross earnings include all sources of income, such as wages, salaries, profits, interest payments, rents, and other forms of earnings, before any deductions or taxes. Gross earnings are also commonly referred to in the financial sector as gross profit or gross income.

For a company, gross earnings (also gross profit, sales profit, or credit sales) is the difference between revenue and the cost of making a product or providing a service, before deducting overheads, payroll, taxation, and interest payments. Gross earnings are calculated by subtracting the cost of goods sold (COGS) from total revenue.

It is important to note that gross earnings are different from net earnings. Net earnings are the amount of income left after all deductions, such as taxes, have been taken out. In the case of individuals, net earnings are also known as take-home pay.

In summary, gross earnings are the total amount of income earned before any deductions or taxes, while net earnings are the amount of income left after all deductions have been taken out.