English Reference
Adjective

thrifty

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈθɹɪfti/ UK /θɹˈɪfti/ thrifty

adj.good at saving money and not wasting things. You use this to describe someone who is careful with their spending.

adj.economical in the use of resources; characterized by careful management of money and possessions to avoid waste.


SIMPLE

She is very thrifty and always buys second-hand clothes.

CONTEXTUAL

The family lived a thrifty life, growing their own vegetables and repairing old furniture instead of buying new ones.

COMPLEX

In an era of economic uncertainty, the thrifty habits of previous generations have become increasingly relevant as consumers seek to minimize unnecessary expenditure.


From Middle English thrifty, threfty, thryfty, þrifti, equivalent to thrift + -y.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Middle English thrifty
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated