niggardly

[ nig-erd-lee ]

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

  2. meanly or ungenerously small or scanty: a niggardly tip to a waiter.

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

Origin of niggardly

1
First recorded in 1520–30; niggard + -ly

usage note For niggardly

See niggard.

Other words for niggardly

Opposites for niggardly

Other words from niggardly

  • nig·gard·li·ness, noun

Words Nearby niggardly

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for niggardly

niggardly

/ (ˈnɪɡədlɪ) /


adjective
  1. stingy or ungenerous

  2. meagre: a niggardly salary

adverb
  1. stingily; grudgingly

Derived forms of niggardly

  • niggardliness, noun

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