frugal

[ froo-guh l ]

/ ˈfru gəl /

adjective

economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful: What your office needs is a frugal manager who can save you money without resorting to painful cutbacks.

entailing little expense; requiring few resources; meager; scanty: a frugal meal.

Nearby words

Origin of frugal

1590–1600; < Latin frūgālis economical, equivalent to frūg- (stem of frūx produce, fruit) + -ālis -al¹

Related forms

fru·gal·i·ty, fru·gal·ness, nounfru·gal·ly, adverbnon·fru·gal, adjectivenon·fru·gal·ly, adverb

non·fru·gal·ness, nouno·ver·fru·gal, adjectiveo·ver·fru·gal·ly, adverbun·fru·gal, adjectiveun·fru·gal·ly, adverbun·fru·gal·ness, noun

Synonym study

Economical, thrifty, frugal imply careful and saving use of resources. Economical implies prudent planning in the disposition of resources so as to avoid unnecessary waste or expense: economical in budgeting household expenditures. Thrifty is a stronger word than economical, and adds to it the idea of industry and successful management: a thrifty shopper looking for bargains. Frugal emphasizes being saving, sometimes excessively saving, especially in such matters as food or dress: frugal almost to the point of being stingy.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for frugally

It is run effectively and frugally by Walter Olson, who in his day job runs the famous Overlawyered blog.
Maryland's Marriage Moment?|David Frum|September 28, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Mrs. Peterkin frugally suggested that they might now keep it for the next day, as to-day was almost gone, and they had had tea.
The Peterkin Papers|Lucretia P. Hale
Meanwhile the three on the summit across the valley had dined, frugally to be sure, and somewhat silently on bread and bacon.
Virginia of Elk Creek Valley|Mary Ellen Chase
She frugally set aside the cracklins, after rendering the lard, for use in soap-making at the hopper.
Blue Ridge Country|Jean Thomas

They filled their pipes thoughtfully and lit them frugally with a blazing splinter from the wood pile.
Hoof and Claw|Charles G. D. Roberts
Beethoven, owing to his unpractical habits, required much money, although he lived but frugally.
Musical Myths and Facts, Volume II (of 2)|Carl Engel

British Dictionary definitions for frugally

frugal

/ (ˈfruːɡəl) /

adjective

practising economy; living without waste; thrifty

not costly; meagre

Derived Formsfrugality or frugalness, nounfrugally, adverb

Word Origin for frugal

C16: from Latin frūgālis, from frūgī useful, temperate, from frux fruit

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for frugally

frugal

adj.

1590s, from Middle French frugal, from Latin frugalis, from undeclined adj. frugi "useful, proper, worthy, honest; temperate, economical," originally dative of frux (plural fruges) "fruit, produce," figuratively "value, result, success," related to fructus (see fruit). Sense evolved in Latin from "useful" to "profitable" to "economical." Related: Frugally.