/ek'euh nom"i keuhl, ee'keuh-/ , adj.
1. avoiding waste or extravagance; thrifty: an economical meal; an economical use of interior space.
2. economic.
[ 1570-80; ECONOMIC + -AL 1 ]
Syn. 1. saving, provident, sparing, parsimonious. ECONOMICAL, THRIFTY, FRUGAL imply careful and saving use of resources. ECONOMICAL implies prudent planning in the disposition of resources so as to avoid unnecessary waste or expense: economical in budgeting household expenditures. THRIFTY is a stronger word than economical, and adds to it the idea of industry and successful management: a thrifty shopper looking for bargains. FRUGAL emphasizes being saving, sometimes excessively saving, esp. in such matters as food or dress: frugal almost to the point of being stingy.
Ant. 1. wasteful, extravagant, spendthrift, prodigal, profligate.