stingy 1
— stingily , adv. — stinginess , n.
/stin"jee/ , adj., stingier, stingiest .
1. reluctant to give or spend; not generous; niggardly; penurious: He's a stingy old miser.
2. scanty or meager: a stingy little income.
[ 1650-60; perh. deriv. of STING; see -Y 1 ]
Syn. 1. tight. STINGY, PARSIMONIOUS, MISERLY, MEAN, CLOSE all mean reluctant to part with money or goods. STINGY, the most general of these terms, means unwilling to share, give, or spend possessions or money: children who are stingy with their toys; a stingy, grasping skinflint. PARSIMONIOUS describes an extreme stinginess arising from unusual or excessive frugality: a sternly parsimonious, penny-pinching existence. MISERLY stresses a pathological pleasure in acquiring and hoarding money that is so powerful that even necessities are only grudgingly purchased: a wretched, miserly way of life.
MEAN suggests a small-minded, ignoble, petty stinginess leading to miserable, cheerless living: depressingly mean with his money; mean surroundings; a mean repast. CLOSE implies extreme caution in spending money, even an aversion to spending: a close dealer, buying only at rock bottom prices; generous with advice, but very close with his money. 2. sparse, paltry, poor.
Ant. 1. generous.
stingy 2
/sting"ee/ , adj.
having a sting.
[ 1605-15; STING + -Y 1 ]