skinflint — a person who spends as little money as possible; a miser
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a person who spends as little money as possible; a miser
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈskɪnflɪnt/
Example Sentences
- The skinflint landlord refused to fix the heating even in winter.
- Don't be such a skinflint - it's your own birthday party!
- My grandfather was a skinflint who kept his money in old coffee cans.
skinflint
NOUN[/ˈskɪnflɪnt/]
a person who spends as little money as possible; a miser
a person who spends as little money as possible; a miser
Fresh mint bills stay locked while he won't spare a print!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This 17th-century English expression originated from the metaphorical image of someone so miserly that they would attempt to strip the skin from flint stone. Flint, already a hard, unyielding rock, became a symbol of extreme stinginess—the notion that one would try to extract value from something inherently worthless or depleted.
Breakdown
skin (outer layer, surface) + flint (hard stone used for striking sparks). The compound creates a hyperbolic image of excessive parsimony, suggesting an attempt to extract profit from something already exhausted of value.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The skinflint landlord refused to fix the heating even in winter.”
“Don't be such a skinflint - it's your own birthday party!”
“My grandfather was a skinflint who kept his money in old coffee cans.”
“The skinflint CEO made employees bring their own toilet paper to work.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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