parsimony

American  

[pahr-suh-moh-nee] / ˈpɑr səˌmoʊ ni /

noun

1. extreme or excessive economy or frugality; stinginess; miserliness.

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parsimony British  

/ ˌpɑːsɪˈməʊnɪəs, ˈpɑːsɪmənɪ /

noun

1. extreme care or reluctance in spending; frugality; niggardliness

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Other Word Forms

• parsimonious adjective
• parsimoniously adverb

Etymology

Origin of parsimony

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English parcimony, from Latin parsimōnia, parcimōnia “frugality, thrift,” equivalent to parsi- (combining form of parsus, past participle of parcere “to economize”) or parci- (combining form of parcus “sparing”) + -mōnia -mony

Explanation

Parsimony is a noun to use when you are watching your money very carefully. So you're not just saving your pennies for a rainy day — you're clipping coupons, re-using dryer sheets, and refusing to pay full price for anything. It's not a bad thing to engage in a little parsimony. Related to an ancient Latin word meaning "to spare," parsimony keeps your checking account in the black and your retirement plan well funded. But get a little too parsimonious and you might start to look like Uncle Scrooge — an old miser who learned the hard way that practicing extreme parsimony doesn't win you love and admiration.

Example Sentences

Or perhaps Goya is taking a small liberty, presenting parsimony in a sly juxtaposition to all that flashy gold embroidery, royal hardware and silk.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 28, 2023

But if there is one way to offset parsimony, it’s with development.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 31, 2023

Whether Lula would lead from that ecumenical high ground, let alone deliver growth with parsimony, is another matter — and a doubt Lula himself coyly encourages.

From Washington Post • Oct. 3, 2022

Maximum parsimony hypothesizes that organisms that display homologous structures are closely related, while organisms that display analogous structures must have diverged much farther in the past.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

The present King of France has waged many wars without imposing extraordinary taxes on his subjects, only because his habitual parsimony has provided for the additional expenditures.

From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli