cheap Charlie

English

Etymology

See cheap & Charlie (“Vietcong”, US military slang), likely originated among US soldiers in Vietnam as a Vietnam War-era military slang to refer to American GIs who were unwilling to spend extravagantly at bars, restaurants, or for prostitutes.

Noun

cheap Charlie (plural cheap Charlies)

1. (US, Australia, Southeast Asia, slang) cheapskate, miser

   Synonyms: miser; see also Thesaurus:miser

   Antonyms: (Thailand) two week millionaire, spendthrift

References

• “cheap Charlie” in Idioms and phrases, TheFreeDictionary.com, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.: Farlex, Inc., 2003–2025.