Spongers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who habitually depend on others for support while providing nothing in exchange
2. People who leverage the goodwill of others to sustain themselves without making an effort to contribute
3. Individuals who rely on the generosity of others for sustenance without reciprocating in any way

Etymology: "Spongers" is the plural of "sponger," formed from "sponge" with the agent suffix "-er," which English attaches to verbs and nouns to name a person who does something. The "-er" ending goes back through Middle English and Old French to Latin "-arius," a suffix denoting a person connected with a trade or activity, and it arrived in English as a native ending, so the suffix is far older than the word it now helps form. The meaning of "sponge" is the key to the rest. A natural sponge soaks up whatever liquid it touches and gives nothing back unless squeezed, and "sponge" took on the figurative sense of living off others in that same spirit. The verb "to sponge" meant to extract food, drink or money from someone without paying, and a sponger is the person who does this habitually, drawing on the generosity of friends, relatives or employers while contributing little.

Synonyms: freeloaders, moochers, parasites, leechers, takers

Antonyms: providers, givers, donors, contributors, supporters