pinchpenny

English

Etymology

From pinch +‎ penny.

Noun

pinchpenny (plural pinchpennies)

1. One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money. [from before 1578]

   Over the years, he developed a reputation as a pinchpenny who wouldn't spend money for anything.

   • 1578, John Lyly, Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit, published 1868, page 109:

     That they accompt one a dastard if he be not defperate, a pynch penny if he be not prodygall, if filent a fotte, if full of wordes a foole?

Usage notes

• This term has a mildly negative connotation.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:miser

Derived terms

• penny-pinching
• penny-pincher

Translations

miser — see miser

References

• “pinchpenny”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “pinchpenny”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.