Costlier

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. requiring a larger amount of money than another option when purchased
2. associated with a higher financial outlay than that of a less expensive alternative
3. Entailing a greater financial charge compared to other choices

Etymology: "Costlier" is the comparative of "costly," so it is the form you reach for when one option carries a larger price tag than another. The adjective "costly" itself is a Middle English formation built from "cost" and the suffix "-ly," which in this case turns a noun into an adjective meaning "having the qualities of" the noun. "Cost" is the older word of the two, and "costly" grew out of it, so "costlier" is a comparison of a form that is already one step removed from the simple noun. The word "cost" originally carried the sense of a price paid or an expense incurred, and the adjective carried that sense into a sense of value: something that costs a great deal is, by extension, something valuable or lavish. That is why "costly" can describe a pricey item, and also a sacrifice or mistake that exacts a heavy toll. "Costlier" inherits both senses, so a costlier choice may be one that merely demands more money, or one whose consequences are weightier.

Synonyms: more expensive, pricier, dearer, higher-priced, costly

Antonyms: cheaper, less expensive, affordable, inexpensive, low-cost