parsimonious

[ pahr-suh-moh-nee-uhs ]

adjective

1. characterized by or showing parsimony; frugal or stingy.

   Synonyms: covetous, avaricious, penurious, mean, illiberal, miserly, close, tight

   Antonyms: generous

Other Words From

• parsi·moni·ous·ly adverb
• parsi·moni·ous·ness noun
• unpar·si·moni·ous adjective
• unpar·si·moni·ous·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of parsimonious¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; parsimon(y) + -ious

Synonym Study

See stingy ¹.

Example Sentences

It promises to be a parsimonious solution to the age-old problem of preventing unwanted pregnancies.

From The Daily Beast

The wealthy want to be seen as even more parsimonious, to offset the incriminating millions in their bank accounts.

From The Daily Beast

Does anyone else remember a simpler, more parsimonious America?

From The Daily Beast

Over the course of these novels, the style becomes increasingly parsimonious, reaching its apotheosis in The Golden Bowl.

From The Daily Beast

The U.S. will never be as parsimonious with energy as a Scandinavian country.

From The Daily Beast

A miser having heard of another still more parsimonious than himself, waited on him to gain instruction.

From Project Gutenberg

There is no good reason why any town in Massachusetts should be negligent or parsimonious in these particulars.

From Project Gutenberg

Worldly fame has been parsimonious of her favor to the memory of those generous companions.

From Project Gutenberg

Cadaverous, simply because he was too parsimonious to provide sufficient nourishing food to meet the demands of such a huge body.

From Project Gutenberg

They know, I can tell you, and they despise parsimonious people who try to make their old things do forever.

From Project Gutenberg