dirt-cheap

[durt-cheep]

adjective

1. very inexpensive.

   The house may need a lot of work, but it was dirt-cheap.

adverb

1. cheaply.

   They got it dirt-cheap.

dirt-cheap

adjective

1. informal,  at an extremely low price

Word History and Origins

Origin of dirt cheap¹

First recorded in 1815–25

Idioms and Phrases

Very inexpensive, as in Their house was a real bargain, dirt cheap. Although the idea dates back to ancient times, the precise expression, literally meaning “as cheap as dirt,” replaced the now obsolete dog cheap. [Early 1800s]

Related Words

• cheap 
• economical 
• low-cost 
• low-priced 
• modest 
• popular 
• reasonable