penurious

From Medieval Latin pēnūriōsus. See penury from Latin penuria (“want”), related to paene (“scarcely”), c. 1400. Compare French pénurie.

penurious (comparative more penurious, superlative most penurious)

1. Miserly; excessively cheap.

   The old man died a penurious wretch; eighty-thousand dollars in the mattress and as many holes in the roof.

2. Not bountiful; thin; scant.

   The penurious stew would have been more accurately labelled broth.

3. Impoverished; wanting for money.

   The poor penurious horde, naught in the cooking pot and naught in the belly.

• See also Thesaurus:stingy
• See also Thesaurus:impoverished
• See also Thesaurus:pauper

• See also Thesaurus:spendthrift

• penury