niggardly

American  

[nig-erd-lee] / ˈnɪg ərd li /

adjective

1. reluctant to give or spend; stingy; miserly.

   Synonyms:

   close, illiberal, mercenary, avaricious, tight, mean, miserly, penurious

   Antonyms:

   generous

2. meanly or ungenerously small or scanty.

   a niggardly tip to a waiter.

   Synonyms:

   poor

---

adverb

1. in a stingy, miserly, or tight-fisted manner.

niggardly British  

/ ˈnɪɡədlɪ /

adjective

1. stingy or ungenerous

2. meagre

   a niggardly salary

---

adverb

1. stingily; grudgingly

Sensitive Note

See niggard.

Other Word Forms

• niggardliness noun

Etymology

Origin of niggardly

First recorded in 1520–30; niggard + -ly

Example Sentences

There is something niggardly and petty about the meanness, something entirely consonant with the values — if we may use that word — of an administration that argued against providing its captives toothpaste and soap.

From Seattle Times

To tap one of the country’s two largest and most niggardly mines is hard enough.

From Economist

The Editorial Board opinion piece on the niggardly food assistance policy and its bungled inflexible implementation in Puerto Rico was important.

From New York Times

An administrator in Washington, D.C.’s Office of the Public Advocate had to resign in 1999 for using the word niggardly in a staff meeting.

From The Wall Street Journal

The unionist parties have promised different things, ranging from a Tory promise of wide latitude to set income tax to Labour’s more niggardly offer of power to shift its rate by 15p.

From Economist