different between profuse vs prodigal

English

Etymology

From Latin profusus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p???fju?s/
• Rhymes: -u?s

Adjective

profuse (comparative more profuse, superlative most profuse)

1. In great quantity or abundance; liberal or generous to the point of excess.

Translations

Verb

profuse (third-person singular simple present profuses, present participle profusing, simple past and past participle profused)

1. (obsolete) To pour out; to give or spend liberally; to lavish; to squander.

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p??.fyz/
• Homophone: profuses

Adjective

profuse

1. feminine singular of profus

Italian

Verb

profuse

1. third-person singular past historic of profondere

profuse

1. feminine plural of profuso

Latin

Adjective

prof?se

1. vocative masculine singular of prof?sus

References

• profuse in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• profuse in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• profuse in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette

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