niggardly

[ nig-erd-lee ]

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

/ ˈnɪɡədlɪ /

adjective

1. stingy or ungenerous
2. meagre

   a niggardly salary

adverb

1. stingily; grudgingly

Sensitive Note

See niggard.

Derived Forms

• ˈniggardliness, noun

Other Words From

• nig·gard·li·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of niggardly¹

First recorded in 1520–30; niggard + -ly