Cheapskates

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who are excessively unwilling to spend money or who hoard wealth tightly, often to the detriment of enjoying life
2. Persons who are reluctant to make purchases or investments, favoring thriftiness even at inconvenient times
3. People characterized by their frugality and reluctance to spend, often to an extreme that may appear miserly

Etymology: "Cheapskates" is the plural of "cheapskate," a word built from "cheap" and "skite," a term for a contemptible person. The first half needs little explanation: "cheap" carries its familiar sense of stingy or unwilling to spend. The second half is the more unusual piece, and it is what gives the compound its sharp, slightly insulting edge. "Skite" belonged to older informal speech, where it denoted a worthless or despicable individual, and it is the same element found in "blatherskite," a word for a loud, empty-headed talker. Put the two together and "cheapskate" describes someone who is not merely thrifty but mean-spirited in a way that earns contempt. The compound shows how English speakers often reached for a pair of blunt, everyday words to make a single, pointed insult.

Synonyms: miser, tightwad, penny-pincher, skinflint, frugal person

Antonyms: spender, generous person, philanthropist, big spender, donor