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chinchy

American  
[chin-chee] / ˈtʃɪn tʃi /

adjective

Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S.
chinchier, chinchiest

  1. 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.

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

From Time Magazine Archive

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 Amenities of Literature Consisting of Sketches and Characters of English Literature by Disraeli, Isaac

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.