economically

American  

[ek-uh-nom-ik-lee, ee-kuh-] / ˌɛk əˈnɒm ɪk li, ˌi kə- /

adverb

1. in a thrifty or frugal manner; with economy.

2. as regards the efficient use of income and wealth.

   economically feasible proposals.

3. as regards one's personal resources of money.

   He's quite well off economically.

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economically British  

/ ˌɛkə-, ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪkəlɪ /

adverb

1. with economy or thrift; without waste

2. with regard to the economy of a person, country, etc

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Etymology

Origin of economically

First recorded in 1690–1700; economical + -ly

Explanation

If you do something economically, you do it in an efficient manner. Acting economically wastes no money or effort. Though variations of this word often relate to the economy — the financial system — to be economical also means to be thrifty in other senses. For example, if you do your homework economically, you do it quickly and correctly, without wasted energy or time. If you run errands economically, you take the shortest route and don't get sidetracked. If you take a road trip economically, you drive across the country as fast as possible and in a straightforward manner, without deviations.