Undersave

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To save an amount that is less than what is required or expected
2. The act of retaining resources or money but not enough to meet a goal or need
3. Saving a smaller quantity than necessary, leading to a shortfall in resources

Etymology: "Undersave" is a plain compound: the prefix "under-" joined to "save," meaning to save too little. The prefix comes from Old English "under," which carries the sense of beneath or below, and in compounds it can mean insufficiently or less than enough, as in "underestimate" or "undercook." The base verb has a longer and more winding history. "Save" passed into English through Old French "sauver," which came from Latin "salvare," meaning to make safe or to preserve, and that Latin verb was built from "salvus," meaning safe, sound or whole. Middle English took the word as "saven," so "save" has meant to rescue or keep from harm for centuries before it came to mean setting money aside.

Synonyms: understore, underreserve

Antonyms: oversave, overspend