parsimonious
/,pɑ:si'mounjəs/
Definition
- Adjective:
- Excessively unwilling to spend; stingy; frugal to an extreme degree: "Parsimonious" describes a person or behavior that is extremely reluctant to spend money or use resources, often to the point of being miserly or excessively frugal.
Usage
The adjective "parsimonious" is used to characterize a person's habitual attitude toward spending or resource allocation. It carries a negative connotation, implying an unreasonable or excessive degree of thrift that goes beyond simple carefulness.
Examples
- Adjective:
- Despite his wealth, he was so parsimonious that he refused to turn on the heating.
- Her parsimonious habits meant she never ate at restaurants.
- The parsimonious funding for the arts has led to the closure of several galleries.
Advanced Usage
- "Parsimonious with": This phrase specifies what someone is stingy about.
- He was parsimonious with both praise and resources.
- In scientific/technical contexts: The term can describe a principle of simplicity in explanations or models (e.g., Occam's razor), though this is a more specialized, neutral usage.
- The most parsimonious explanation for the data was also the correct one.
Variants and Related Words
- Parsimony (noun): The quality or state of being parsimonious; extreme stinginess.
- His parsimony was legendary in the family.
- Parsimoniously (adverb): In a parsimonious manner.
- The budget was allocated parsimoniously.
Synonyms
- Stingy: Unwilling to give or spend; not generous.
- Miserly: Relating to or characteristic of a miser; greedy and stingy.
- Penurious: Extremely poor; or, marked by or suffering from penury; also, miserly.
- Tightfisted: Not willing to spend or give money.
- Niggardly: Grudgingly mean about spending or granting.
Antonyms
- Generous: Showing a readiness to give more of something, especially money, than is strictly necessary or expected.
- Lavish: Sumptuously rich, elaborate, or luxurious; or, bestowing something in generous or extravagant quantities.
- Munificent: More generous than is usual or necessary.
- Openhanded: Giving freely; generous.
Idioms and Phrases
- "Penny-pinching": This idiom is a close conceptual relative, describing behavior that is excessively careful with money.
- His penny-pinching ways made the trip uncomfortable for everyone.
- "Scrooge-like": A reference to the character Ebenezer Scrooge from Charles Dickens's , describing extreme parsimony.
- His Scrooge-like attitude toward employee bonuses damaged morale.
Adjective
-
excessively unwilling to spend
-
parsimonious thrift relieved by few generous impulses
-
lived in a most penurious manner--denying himself every indulgence
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