parsimony

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“
A miser who spends a cent upon himself where another would spend a quarter does it from parsimony, which is a subordinate characteristic of avarice.

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Definitions (9)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun Unusual or excessive frugality; extreme economy or stinginess.
  2. noun Adoption of the simplest assumption in the formulation of a theory or in the interpretation of data, especially in accordance with the rule of Ockham's razor.

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Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

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Examples (50)

  • His lordship had a reputation for parsimony, and he fancied it a bargain if he could sell to my father those squalid fields for L2000,—so he offered them to him at that price. —  My Life as an Author
  • Franciscan friar, William of Ockham (Latin: lex parsimoniae); also, law of parsimony, law of economy, law of succinctness; parsimony was an important principle in Einstein's formulation of special relativity; Occam's razor is a metaphysical (or, heuristic) preference, not a logical or scientific principle —  Recently Uploaded Slideshows
  • The Tokugawa reign had no political principles to speak of - Ieyasu climbed to the top by way of infinite patience and parsimony, and having got there, he continued to be as kechi (けち, stingy) as ever. —  News On Japan
  • It will be interesting to see if the final choice favors performance or parsimony, as the political climate on emissions and efficiency could shape the outcome as much as anything. —  MotorAuthority - Latest News
  • The idea is parsimony, and today's $10 word, is to use the simplest yet most effective explanation possible. —  Gemba Panta Rei
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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English parcimony, from Latin parsimōnia, from parsus, past participle of parcere, to spare.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. Formerly also parcimony; from Old French parsimonie, French parcimonie = Spanish Italian parsimonia = Portuguese parcimonia, parsimonia, from Latin parsimonia, parcimonia, sparingness, frugality, from parcere, be sparing.
 

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/ˈpɑrsɪməni/
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