thrifty

[ thrif-tee ]

adjective

, thrift·i·er, thrift·i·est.

1. practicing thrift or economical management; frugal:

   a thrifty shopper.

   Synonyms: saving, sparing

2. thriving, prosperous, or successful.
3. thriving physically; growing vigorously.

thrifty

/ ˈθrɪftɪ /

adjective

1. showing thrift; economical or frugal
2. rare.
   thriving or prospering

Derived Forms

• ˈthriftily, adverb
• ˈthriftiness, noun

Other Words From

• thrifti·ly adverb
• thrifti·ness noun
• over·thrifti·ly adverb
• over·thrifti·ness noun
• over·thrifty adjective
• un·thrifti·ly adverb
• un·thrifti·ness noun
• un·thrifty adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of thrifty¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English; thrift, -y ¹

Synonym Study

See frugal.

Example Sentences

It was all about women being thrifty and going back to traditional crafts and cultivating these qualities and dispositions that they needed to survive in this tougher, financially strained period.

From Vox

Making use of those leftovers is not only thrifty and green, it can also be fun.

From Washington Post

In line with Progressive Era measures to temper “threats” of immigration after World War I, Ford used home visits to keep tabs on whether addresses were current, and whether immigrants spoke English and were clean and thrifty.

From Washington Post

Indeed, as costs come down for equipment and remote work democratizes access to a country that’s still teeming with engineering talent, thrifty startups can get the capital they need from government sources and corporate innovation grants.

From TechCrunch

For India’s thrifty independent musicians, though, it was a blessing in disguise.

From Quartz

We doubt the thrifty royals will go that far though somehow.

From The Daily Beast

Also, InLightened: You seem to lament that people aren't as thrifty and disciplined as they were in the old days.

From The Daily Beast

CBS is a close, penny-pinching second, and CNBC wins the thrifty award for cable.

From The Daily Beast

Now all the royals have to do is make the wedding of the year look thrifty.

From The Daily Beast

He cites the thrifty values of his father, a Greek immigrant, as the inspiration for his advocacy for their national equivalent.

From The Daily Beast

There are some other trees planted, and many small, thrifty forests, such as I had hardly seen before on the Continent.

From Project Gutenberg

Little Rye was sown, but that little is very good; Barley is suffering from the stormy weather, but is quite thrifty.

From Project Gutenberg

An offer which Jane received from a very honest, industrious, and thrifty jeweler, aroused anew a mother's maternal solicitude.

From Project Gutenberg

We were everywhere favorably impressed with the Welsh people as being thrifty and intelligent.

From Project Gutenberg

One was a hollow tree literally filled with walnuts, gathered presumably by a thrifty squirrel the previous fall.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• frugal
• prudent
• stingy