pinchpenny
English edit
Etymology edit
Noun edit
pinchpenny (plural pinchpennies)
- One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money. [from before 1578]
- Over the years, he developed a reputation as a pinchpenny who wouldn't spend money for anything.
- 1578, John Lyly, Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit, published 1868, page 109:
- That they accompt one a dastard if he be not defperate, a pynch penny if he be not prodygall, if filent a fotte, if full of wordes a foole?
Usage notes edit
- This term has a mildly negative connotation.
Synonyms edit
- See also Thesaurus:miser
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
miser — see miser
References edit
- “pinchpenny”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “pinchpenny”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.