economical

English

Alternative forms

• economicall (obsolete)
• œconomical (archaic)
• œconomicall (obsolete)

Etymology

From economic + -al

Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /ˌɛkəˈnɒmɪkəl/, X-SAMPA: /%Ek@"nQmIk@l/
• (US) IPA: /ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪkəl/, X-SAMPA: /%Ek@"nAmIk@l/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

economical (comparative more economical, superlative most economical)

1. Careful with money so as not to spend too much; prudent; thrifty.
2. Relating to economy in any other sense.

Usage notes

Modern usage prefers economic when describing the economy of a region or country (and when referring to personal or family budgeting).
Economical is preferred when referring to thrift or value for money.

Translations

careful with money

• Bulgarian: икономичен (bg) (ikonomičen)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 節約的 (cmn), 节约的 (cmn) (jiéyuē de)

• Czech: hospodárný (cs) m
• Dutch: spaarzaam (nl), zuinig (nl)
• Finnish: säästeliäs (fi)

• German: sparsam (de), wirtschaftlich (de), ökonomisch (de)
• Hungarian: gazdaságos (hu)
• Latvian: ekonomisks (lv)
• Russian: экономный (ru) (ekonómnyj), бережливый (ru) (berežlívyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: cùramach (gd)
• Swedish: sparsam (sv)

relating to economy

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 經濟的 (cmn), 经济的 (cmn) (jīngjì de)

• Czech: ekonomický (cs) m
• Dutch: economisch (nl)

• Finnish: ekonominen (fi), taloudellinen (fi)
• German: wirtschaftlich (de), ökonomisch (de)
• Russian: экономический (ru) (ekonomíčeskij), хозяйственный (ru) (xozjájstvennyj)

Derived terms

• economically
• economical with the truth

See also

• economic