stingy

adjective stin·gy \ˈstin-jē\

: not liking or wanting to give or spend money : not generous

: small in size or amount

stin·gi·erstin·gi·est

Full Definition of STINGY

: not generous or liberal : sparing or scant in using, giving, or spending <stingy with the salt> <stingy employee benefits>

: meanly scanty or small <stingy portions of meat>

— stin·gi·ly \-jə-lē\ adverb

— stin·gi·ness \-jē-nəs\ noun

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Origin of STINGY

perhaps from English dialect *stinge, noun, sting; akin to Old English stingan to sting

First Known Use: 1659

Related to STINGY

Synonyms: cheap, chintzy, close, closefisted, mean, mingy, miserly, niggard, niggardly, parsimonious, penny-pinching, penurious, pinching, pinchpenny, spare, sparing, stinting, tight, tightfisted, uncharitable, ungenerous

Antonyms: bounteous, bountiful, charitable, freehanded, generous, liberal, munificent, openhanded, unsparing, unstinting

Synonym Discussion of STINGY

stingy, close, niggardly, parsimonious, penurious, miserly mean being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others. stingy implies a marked lack of generosity <a stingy child, not given to sharing>. close suggests keeping a tight grip on one's money and possessions <folks who are very close when charity calls>. niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible <the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library>. parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess <a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries>. penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty <the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune>. miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding <a miserly couple devoid of social conscience>.