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Frugal

Economical; not wasteful

adjective

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Imagine This

Being not wasteful, the old lady picks up discounted, bruised fruits from the produce store to make pies. The 'Frugal Gourmet' (TV cooking show) shows the chef using all types of inexpensive ingredients to make very delicious dishes.

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Sounds Like

FROO-guhl

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Looks Like

Visually resembles 'frugal' and hints at 'fruit' (fru-) as a cue to use resources wisely

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Remember This

Frugal comes from Latin frugalis meaning thrifty, prudent, from frux/fructus meaning fruit or produce; related forms include frugality and frugally.

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Other Forms

frugalitynoun

frugallyadverb

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Connect With

thrift, economical, prudent, parsimonious (in a cautious sense)

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Note

Avoid confusing with similar-sounding but unrelated words; frugal emphasizes economical use of resources, not stinginess or miserliness.

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Study Deeper

Examples

She is frugal in her spending, buying generic brands and using coupons.
A frugal lifestyle helped them save enough money to travel the world.

Synonyms

thriftyeconomicalfrugalprovidentparsimonious

Antonyms

wastefulextravagantlavish

Etymology

From Latin frugalis 'thrifty, prudent', from frux, frugis 'fruit, produce' (hence the link to fruitful living).

Mnemonic

Mnemonic: FRUGAL = Fewer Resources Used, Generating A Lifetime of savings.

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Peruse

verb

To read something carefully and thoroughly; to examine in detail.

Inaudible

adjective

Not able to be heard; too quiet, distant, or muffled to be perceived by the ear.

Haughty

adjective

Arrogantly proud; having or showing an overbearing sense of one's own importance.

Similar Words

Related words and words with the same part of speech.

Prudent

adjective

Careful; using good judgment and foresight.

Abstruse

adjective

Difficult to understand; obscure or highly complex.

Accidental

adjective

Happening by chance or without deliberate planning; not intended. In music, it is also a noun for a symbol that temporarily alters a pitch.

Acerbic

adjective

Sharp or biting in tone or taste; caustic or mordant in manner.

Acquiescent

adjective

Ready to agree or approve without protest; compliant.

Adamant

adjective

Rigid in opinion or purpose; not willing to change one's mind or position.

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