chinchy

American

[chin-chee] / ˈtʃɪn tʃi /

adjective

Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S.

chinchier, chinchiest

stingy; miserly; cheap.

Etymology

Origin of chinchy

1400–50; late Middle English, derivative of chinche (noun and adj.) < Old French chinche, chiche < Vulgar Latin *ciccus for Latin ciccum a bagatelle; -y ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Fy! lack of coin departeth compaign�e; And hev� purse with Hert� liber�l Quencheth the thirsty heat of Hert�s drie, Where chinchy Hert�4 hath thereof but small.

From Project Gutenberg

Communicator Alan Shepard had kidded Cooper: "You're getting kind of chinchy on using this fuel up there."

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023