prodigal

[ prod-i-guhl ]

adjective

1. wastefully or recklessly extravagant:

   prodigal expenditure.

   Synonyms: profligate

   Antonyms: provident, cautious

2. giving or yielding profusely; very generous; lavish (usually followed by of or with ):

   prodigal of smiles; prodigal with praise.

   Synonyms: bounteous, copious

3. lavishly abundant; profuse:

   nature's prodigal resources.

   Synonyms: bounteous, copious

noun

1. a person who is wasteful of their money, possessions, etc.; spendthrift:

   In later years, he was a prodigal of his fortune.

   Synonyms: wastrel, waster

prodigal

/ ˈprɒdɪɡəl /

adjective

1. recklessly wasteful or extravagant, as in disposing of goods or money
2. lavish in giving or yielding

   prodigal of compliments

noun

1. a person who spends lavishly or squanders money

Derived Forms

• ˈprodigally, adverb
• ˌprodiˈgality, noun

Other Words From

• prod·i·gal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of prodigal¹

First recorded in 1500–10; back formation from prodigality

Word History and Origins

Origin of prodigal¹

C16: from Medieval Latin prōdigālis wasteful, from Latin prōdigus lavish, from prōdigere to squander, from pro- ¹+ agere to drive

Synonym Study

See lavish.

Example Sentences

Abercrombie weaves the tale of Prince Yarvi in a tale part Captains Courageous, part Revenge of the Nerds, and part Prodigal Son.

From The Daily Beast

No one knows, but on the 4th of July he began bellowing that the Prodigal Son would, in fact, return.

From The Daily Beast

Her "prodigal son" brother, Mehran (Reza Sixo Safari), a former classical musician, returns home from a stint in drug rehab.

From The Daily Beast

Turns out, Nash's "prodigal roommate" Charles isn't real, but rather a personification of Nash's loss of youthful exuberance.

From The Daily Beast

In going to the Cleveland Cavaliers, he was the prodigal son playing in his homeland.

From The Daily Beast

I doubt if the State itself has ever known the meaning of hospitality since the old ranch days, when, of course, it was prodigal.

From Project Gutenberg

Here is Christianity with its marvellous parable of the Prodigal Son to teach us indulgence and pardon.

From Project Gutenberg

Sterile, dissipated and prodigal, she made her husband very unhappy, thus avenging the first Mme. Brunner.

From Project Gutenberg

The rooks were awake in Randolph Crescent; but the windows looked down, discreetly blinded, on the return of the prodigal.

From Project Gutenberg

In a pew on the left-hand side a little old man was holding forth as to the “prodigal son.”

From Project Gutenberg