Thrifty Meaning
/ˈθɹɪfti/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjShowing thrift; economical; frugal.
adjThriving, prosperous, successful; (of an animal or plant) growing rapidly or vigorously.
Sentence Examples
He is thrifty, not to say stingy.
Tom is very thrifty.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She is very ____ with her money, always buying things on sale.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Being ____ allowed him to save enough money to buy his very first car after working for only two years today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English thrifty, threfty, thryfty, þrifti, equivalent to thrift + -y.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"That was a certain trade, while th' age was thrifty, / And men good husbands, look'd into their stocks, / Had their minds bounded; now the public riot / Prostitutes all, scatters away in coaches, / In footmens coats, and waiting womens gowns"
— c. 1625, Ben Jonson, “The Staple of News”, in Peter Whalley, editor, The Works of Ben Johnson, volume IV, London, published 1756, act III, scene iv, page 201:
"Nor less disastrous, should his thrifty urn / Neglected leave the once well-water'd land, / To dreary wastes yon paradise would turn, / Polluted ooze, or heaps of barren sand."
— 1754, William Whitehead, “Elegies: Elegy I”, in Robert Dodsley, editor, A Collection of Poems in Six Volumes by Several Hands, London: J. Hughs, published 1765, page 54:
"Both were thrifty and hardworking. From the beginning of their marriage both worked steadily and saved every penny above their basic living expenses. By their first anniversary they were saving almost all of Richard's earnings as a union carpenter—eighty to ninety dollars a week."
— 1976, Anthony Scaduto, Scapegoat: The Lonesome Death of Bruno Richard Hauptmann, New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, →ISBN, page 110:
"The life of religion is this water of life; where that runs, where that is received, and where things are done in this spirit, there all things are well: The church thrifty, the soul thrifty, graces thrifty, and all is well."
— a. 1688, John Bunyan, “The Water of Life”, in The Whole Works of that Eminent Servant of CHRIST, the late Reverend and much Esteemed Mr. John Bunyan […], volume II, London, published 1784, page 1193:
"the lands on this road are of an excellent quality, and in many places light timbered, in others covered with thrifty oak, black walnut, sugar maple, beach and linden."
— 1794 November 20, “A letter from an anonymous 'gentleman'”, in The Commercial and Agricultural Magazine, for 1799, volume I […], London: Vaughan Grifiths, Paternoster-Row., published 1799, Economy of American Commerce, &c. of America, page 171:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She is very ____ with her money, always buying things on sale.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Being ____ allowed him to save enough money to buy his very first car after working for only two years today.