pinchpenny means one who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money. It carries an Arena rating of 1662, earned across 11 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, pinchpenny ranks #1,790 of 17,126 for Most Satisfying to Say, #2,107 of 17,142 for Most Ingenious Words, #2,441 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words, #2,906 of 17,163 for Funniest Words.
Why “pinchpenny” is a great word
An individual characterized by extreme and often ungenerous frugality, particularly in trivial expenditures. The term derives from the Middle English compound 'pynchepeny' (c. 1425), formed from the verb 'pinch'—to squeeze tightly or economize—and 'penny,' the smallest unit of currency. Unlike 'frugal,' which suggests praiseworthy prudence, or 'miser,' which implies a pathological hoarding of wealth, a pinchpenny is defined by a petty, grating parsimony. It is the coin examined for counterfeit before being reluctantly surrendered, the deliberate choice of candle stubs over a new taper, the precise arithmetic of splitting a single biscuit three ways—a life governed by the anxious calculus of minor savings, where every ha'penny withheld chills the hearth of human connection.
Etymology
From pinch + penny.
noun
- One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.e.g.“Over the years, he developed a reputation as a pinchpenny who wouldn't spend money for anything.”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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