stingy

1
[ stin-jee ]
See synonyms for: stingystingilystinginess on Thesaurus.com

adjective,stin·gi·er, stin·gi·est.
  1. reluctant to give or spend; not generous; penurious: He's a stingy old miser.

  2. scanty or meager: a stingy little income.

Origin of stingy

1
First recorded in 1650–60; perhaps derivative of sting; see -y1

synonym study For stingy

1. Stingy, parsimonious, miserly, mean, close all mean reluctant to part with money or goods. Stingy, the most general of these terms, means unwilling to share, give, or spend possessions or money: children who are stingy with their toys; a stingy, grasping skinflint. Parsimonious describes an extreme stinginess arising from unusual or excessive frugality: a sternly parsimonious, penny-pinching existence. Miserly stresses a pathological pleasure in acquiring and hoarding money that is so powerful that even necessities are only grudgingly purchased: a wretched, miserly way of life. Mean suggests a small-minded, ignoble, petty stinginess leading to miserable, cheerless living: depressingly mean with his money; mean surroundings; a mean repast. Close implies extreme caution in spending money, even an aversion to spending: a close dealer, buying only at rock bottom prices; generous with advice, but very close with his money.

Other words for stingy

Opposites for stingy

Other words from stingy

  • stin·gi·ly, adverb
  • stin·gi·ness, noun

Words Nearby stingy

Other definitions for stingy (2 of 2)

stingy2
[ sting-ee ]

adjective
  1. having a sting.

Origin of stingy

2
First recorded in 1605–15; sting + -y1

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use stingy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for stingy (1 of 2)

stingy1

/ (ˈstɪndʒɪ) /


adjective-gier or -giest
  1. unwilling to spend or give

  2. insufficient or scanty

Origin of stingy

1
C17 (perhaps in the sense: ill-tempered): perhaps from stinge, dialect variant of sting

Derived forms of stingy

  • stingily, adverb
  • stinginess, noun

British Dictionary definitions for stingy (2 of 2)

stingy2

/ (ˈstɪŋɪ) /


adjectivestingier or stingiest
  1. informal stinging or capable of stinging

nounplural stingies
  1. South Wales dialect a stinging nettle: I put my hand on a stingy

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