different between thrift vs stingy

English

Etymology

From Middle English thrift, thryfte, þrift, from Old Norse þrift (“thriving condition, prosperity”). Equivalent to thrive +? -t.

Pronunciation

• enPR: thr?ft, IPA^(key): /???ft/
• Rhymes: -?ft

Wikispecies

Noun

thrift (countable and uncountable, plural thrifts)

1. (uncountable) The characteristic of using a minimum of something (especially money).

   His thrift can be seen in how little the trashman takes from his house.

   • The rest, […] willing to fall to thrift , as I have seene many souldiers after the service to prove very good husbands

   • 1892, Ambrose Bierce, Tales of Soldiers and Civilians - Holy Terror

     […] it would appear that before taking this precaution Mr. Bree must have had the thrift to remove a modest competency of the gold […]

2. (countable, US) A savings bank.

   Usually, home mortgages are obtained from thrifts.

3. (countable) Any of various plants of the genus Armeria, particularly Armeria maritima.
4. (obsolete) Success and advance in the acquisition of property; increase of worldly goods; gain; prosperity; profit.
   • 1380-1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales:

     Medleth na-more with that art, I mene, / For, if ye doon, your thrift is goon ful clene.

   • c. 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act I scene i^[1]:

     Bassanio: […] And many Jasons come in quest of her. / O my Antonio, had I but the means / To hold a rival place with one of them, / I have a mind presages me such thrift, / That I should questionless be fortunate!

   • c. 1599-1601, William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act III scene ii^[2]:

     Hamlet: No, let the candied tongue lick absurd pomp, / And crook the pregnant hinges of the knee / Where thrift may follow fawning.

5. (obsolete) Vigorous growth, as of a plant.

Synonyms

• (characteristic of using a minimum of something): frugality

Antonyms

• spendthrift

Derived terms

• thrifty
• thrift shop
• thrift store

Related terms

Translations

Verb

thrift (third-person singular simple present thrifts, present participle thrifting, simple past and past participle thrifted)

1. (transitive) To obtain from a thrift shop.

References

English

Etymology 1

Uncertain, possibly from stinge, a dialectal variation of sting (verb).

Pronunciation

• enPR: st?n?j?, IPA^(key): /?st?nd?i/

Adjective

stingy (comparative stingier, superlative stingiest)

1. Unwilling to spend, give, or share; ungenerous; mean
   • 1909, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea Chapter XVIII

     "Well, I'm doing my best to grow," said Davy, "but it's a thing you can't hurry much. If Marilla wasn't so stingy with her jam I believe I'd grow a lot faster."

2. Small, scant, meager, insufficient

Usage notes

Use of "stingy of" was about as common as use of "stingy with" until about 1900 but became much less common by and since 1920.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:stingy

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 2

sting +? -y

Pronunciation

• enPR: st?ng??, IPA^(key): /?st??i/

Adjective

stingy (comparative stingier, superlative stingiest)

1. Stinging; able to sting.

Translations

Anagrams

• Yingst, stying, tyings