skimpy
Americanadjective
-
lacking in size, fullness, etc.; scanty.
a skimpy hem; a skimpy dinner.
-
too thrifty; stingy.
a skimpy housekeeper.
adjective
-
(of clothes, etc) made of too little material; scanty
-
excessively thrifty; mean; stingy
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of skimpy
Explanation
When something is skimpy, there's not quite enough of it. A skimpy lunch won't fill you up, and a skimpy sweater won't cover you up. The adjective skimpy is good for describing meager or inadequate things, like a skimpy amount of firewood that only burns for an hour, or a skimpy serving of ice cream. Skimpy probably comes from the verb scrimp, "be thrifty," which was originally an adjective meaning "scant or meager."
Vocabulary lists containing skimpy
The Watsons Go to Birmingham
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Paltry Parlance: Synonyms for "Few"
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The Book of Unknown Americans
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Skimpy costumes, wacky performances and furious flag-waving... it can only be Eurovision.
From BBC • May 11, 2025
Skimpy pots are pitiful, a wasted chance for beauty.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 29, 2023
Skimpy upload speeds might be the problem if your Zoom call freezes while your teen is firing off her TikTok creations.
From Washington Post • Mar. 3, 2023
HuffPo similarly noted Lourdes' "semi-embarrassed look," and even Jezebel pointed out that "Madonna Wears Skimpy Ensemble to Party," although to its editorial eye, the brave Lourdes "doesn't flinch."
From Salon • Feb. 28, 2011
Skimpy rayon blouses and clunky shoes are all part of the fun.
From Time Magazine Archive
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
