Vocabulary in context
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Parsimony
The quality of being extremely frugal or stingy; the tendency to spend as little as possible.
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Imagine This
There was a rich man who was a miser; he only ate parsnip from his garden for meals.
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Sounds Like
par-SIM-uh-nee
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Looks Like
Parsnip
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Remember This
From Latin parsimonia meaning frugality, from parsus meaning sparing; extreme thrift is usually negative.
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Other Forms
parsimoniousadjective
parsimoniouslyadverb
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Connect With
frugality, thrift, Miserliness, stinginess, economy
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Note
Parsimony describes excessive frugality, not prudent budgeting. The adjective is parsimonious and the adverb parsimoniously.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- His parsimony kept him from donating to the charity, even after he inherited a fortune.
- The budget was criticized for its parsimonious allocations that left essential programs underfunded.
Synonyms
miserlinessstinginessfrugalitypenuriousness
Antonyms
generositylavishnessextravagance
Etymology
From Old French parsimonie, from Latin parsimonia 'frugality', from parsus 'sparing' (related to parcere 'to spare').
Mnemonic
Mnemonic: Pare money — pare (cut back) your spending to save money.
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Rectitude
nounMoral integrity; the quality of being honest and having strong ethical principles.
Irreverent
adjectiveShowing a lack of respect for things typically treated with respect or seriousness; often expressed through witty or dismissive humor.
Desultory
adjectiveDescribing actions or thinking that are random, disconnected, and lacking a clear plan or purpose; unorganized or inconsistent.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Abasement
nounThe act or instance of humiliating or degrading someone; the state of being lowered in dignity or status.
Absurdity
nounThe quality or state of being wildly unreasonable, illogical, or ridiculous; something that is completely contrary to reason or common sense.
Accent
nounA distinctive way of pronouncing words; the act of emphasizing a syllable or word (as a verb, to accent means to emphasize).
Accolade
nounAn honor; a public expression of praise or an award.
Acrimony
nounBitterness of speech or manner; ill feeling
Acronym
nounA word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, pronounced as a single word and used as a shorthand for the full name (for example, NASA or radar).
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