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prodigal

prodigal

22 8.4
Spending money or things freely and carelessly
  • adjective
  • /ˈprɒdɪɡəl/
translation icon : derrochador
  • His prodigal habits led him to spend all his savings on luxury items.
  • prodigal son
  • the prodigal son returns
  • prodigal father

Examples

Synonyms

extravagant
vsprodigal
20 7.1

Spending much more money than is needed

focuses on wasteful, reckless use rather than just large amount
profligate
vsprodigal
  • Formal
8 9.6

Spends money or uses resources wastefully and shows little care about right and wrong

is similar but lacks the emphasis on moral failure

Antonyms

31 4.9

Careful about spending money and not wasting things

10 4.4

Being careful with money and things to avoid wasting them

How Wasteful

profligate
  • Formal
1 9.9
prodigal
22 8.4
extravagant
20 7.1
to lavish
17 5.3
wasteful
48 3.0

Surface Forms

prodigal positive

Etymology

The adjective prodigal comes from the Latin prodigus, meaning 'wasteful' or 'given away'. So, to be prodigal is to spend money or other things freely and recklessly, just like the 'Prodigal Son' who wasted his inheritance.