parsimonious

IPA/ˌpɑːsɪˈməʊniəs/
KK[pˌɑrsəmˈoniəs]IPA/ˌpɑːrsɪˈməʊniəs/

parsimonious — adjective

  • parsimoniouspositive
  • more parsimoniouscomparative
  • most parsimonioussuperlative

1. so unwilling to give or spend money and other resources that it seems unreasonab

1.形容詞C1
釋義

so unwilling to give or spend money and other resources that it seems unreasonable or ungenerous

例句

Liang's uncle was so parsimonious that he used each tea bag three times before throwing it away.

parsimonious + person (criticism of excessive thrift)

The committee approved a parsimonious budget that barely covered the cost of paper and pens.

collocation: parsimonious budget

同義詞
  • stingy

    less formal, more common in everyday speech

  • miserly

    stronger disapproval, suggests hoarding wealth

  • tight-fisted

    informal, very common in casual conversation

反義詞
  • generous

    willing to give freely without concern

  • lavish

    spending or giving very large amounts, opposite extreme

文法句型

parsimonious + noun

be parsimonious with + noun

用法筆記

More formal than stingy or cheap. Often carries a tone of disapproval. Frequently used in attributive position before the noun it describes (a parsimonious landlord, a parsimonious decision).

常見錯誤

❌The company was very parsimonious with hiring.
✅The company was very stingy about hiring.
💡'parsimonious' sounds unnatural with 'about hiring'; use it for money and material resources rather than actions.
❌My parsimonious friend split the bill evenly.
✅My stingy friend refused to pay more than his share.
💡'parsimonious' is too formal for casual complaints among friends; 'stingy' fits everyday speech better.
❌parcimonious' — spelling error.
✅parsimonious
💡note the 's' not 'c' after 'par'.

2. disappointingly small in quantity, scale, or extent

2.形容詞C1
釋義

disappointingly small in quantity, scale, or extent

例句

The restaurant served a parsimonious portion of rice that left everyone at the table still hungry.

collocation: parsimonious portion

After five years of work, Nila received a parsimonious salary increase of just two percent.

collocation: parsimonious salary increase

同義詞
  • meagre

    more common, slightly less formal

  • scant

    emphasises insufficiency for the purpose

  • paltry

    stronger disapproval, suggests contemptible smallness

反義詞
  • ample

    more than enough for the need

  • abundant

    existing in large quantities, generous in supply

文法句型

parsimonious + noun (of quantity)

用法筆記

This sense extends the 'stingy' meaning to describe a quantity that seems meanly small. Most common in attributive position (before a noun); sounds unnatural in predicative use (e.g. 'The amount was parsimonious').

常見錯誤

❌The food was parsimonious.
✅The restaurant served a parsimonious portion of food.
💡Avoid using 'parsimonious' predicatively for quantities; pair it with a noun like 'portion', 'amount', or 'salary'.
❌a parsimonious five minutes
✅a short five minutes
💡'parsimonious' does not combine naturally with time spans.