Dictionary
penurious
adjective pe·nu·ri·ous \pə-ˈnu̇r-ē-əs, -ˈnyu̇r-\
: very poor
Full Definition of PENURIOUS
1
: marked by or suffering from penury
2
: given to or marked by extreme stinting frugality
— pe·nu·ri·ous·ly adverb
— pe·nu·ri·ous·ness noun
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First Known Use of PENURIOUS
1590
Related to PENURIOUS
- Synonyms
- cheap, chintzy, close, closefisted, mean, mingy, miserly, niggard, niggardly, parsimonious, penny-pinching, stingy, pinching, pinchpenny, spare, sparing, stinting, tight, tightfisted, uncharitable, ungenerous
- Antonyms
- bounteous, bountiful, charitable, freehanded, generous, liberal, munificent, openhanded, unsparing, unstinting
Synonym Discussion of PENURIOUS
stingy, close, niggardly, parsimonious, penurious, miserly mean being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others. stingy implies a marked lack of generosity <a stingy child, not given to sharing>. close suggests keeping a tight grip on one's money and possessions <folks who are very close when charity calls>. niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible <the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library>. parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess <a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries>. penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty <the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune>. miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding <a miserly couple devoid of social conscience>.
Rhymes with PENURIOUS
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