different between prodigal vs reckless

English

Etymology

From Middle French prodigal, from Late Latin pr?dig?lis (“wasteful”), from Latin pr?digus (“wasteful, lavish, prodigal”), from pr?dig? (“to consume, squander, drive forth”), from pr?d- [from pr? (“before, forward”)] + ag? (“to drive”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?p??d???l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?p??d???l/, [?p????????]

Adjective

prodigal (comparative more prodigal, superlative most prodigal)

1. Wastefully extravagant.

   He found himself guilty of prodigal spending during the holidays.

   He is a prodigal son.

2. (often followed by of or with) Yielding profusely, lavish.

   She was a merry person, glad and prodigal of smiles.

   How can he be so prodigal with money on such a tight budget?

3. Profuse, lavishly abundant.
4. (by allusion to the Biblical parable of the prodigal son) returning after abandoning a person, group, or ideal, especially for selfish reasons; behaving as a prodigal son.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:prodigal

Antonyms

• (a prodigal person): frugal
• exigent

Derived terms

• prodigal son

Translations

Noun

prodigal (plural prodigals)

1. A prodigal person, a spendthrift.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:spendthrift

Translations

Further reading

• prodigal in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• prodigal in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• prodigal at OneLook Dictionary Search

English

Alternative forms

• rechless, retchless (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English rekles, reckeles, rekkeles, (also recheles), from Old English r?cel?as (“reckless, careless, negligent”), equivalent to reck +? -less. Cognate with West Frisian roekeleas (“reckless”), Dutch roekeloos (“reckless”), German Low German ruuklos (“careless”), German ruchlos (“careless, notorious”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???kl?s/

Adjective

reckless (comparative recklesser or more reckless, superlative recklessest or most reckless)

1. Careless or heedless; headstrong or rash.
2. Indifferent to danger or the consequences.

Antonyms

• reckful

Derived terms

• recklessness

Translations

Anagrams

• clerkess