miserly — extremely reluctant to spend money; very stingy
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: extremely reluctant to spend money; very stingy
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈmaɪzərli/
Example Sentences
- The miserly millionaire wore the same worn-out suit for twenty years.
- She's so miserly that she counts every grain of rice before cooking.
- His miserly nature prevented him from enjoying life's simple pleasures.
miserly
ADJECTIVE[/ˈmaɪzərli/]
extremely reluctant to spend money; very stingy

The miserly old man counts every coin twice before locking his chest.

Wizardly in power, cowardly and miserly in heart!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Middle French 'misere' (wretchedness, misery), which originally referred to a state of poverty or distress. Over time, it acquired the sense of an obsessive, wretched attachment to money, describing someone miserable in their stinginess.
Breakdown
misere (wretchedness, misery) + -ly (adjective suffix forming descriptive words). The suffix -ly transforms the noun concept of misery into an adjectival quality describing a person's character or behavior.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The miserly millionaire wore the same worn-out suit for twenty years.”
“She's so miserly that she counts every grain of rice before cooking.”
“His miserly nature prevented him from enjoying life's simple pleasures.”
“The miserly landlord refused to fix the heating even in winter.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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