prodigal


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Related to prodigal: Prodigal son

prod·i·gal

 (prŏd′ĭ-gəl)
adj.
1. Rashly or wastefully extravagant: prodigal expenditures on unneeded weaponry; a prodigal nephew who squandered his inheritance.
2. Giving or given in abundance; lavish or profuse: "the infinite number of organic beings with which the sea of the tropics, so prodigal of life, teems" (Charles Darwin). See Synonyms at profuse.
n.
One who is given to wasteful luxury or extravagance.

[Late Middle English, probably back-formation from Middle English prodigalite, from Old French, from Late Latin prōdigālitās, from Latin prōdigus, prodigal, from prōdigere, to drive away, squander : prōd-, prō-, for, forth; see proud + agere, to drive; see ag- in Indo-European roots.]

prod′i·gal′i·ty (-găl′ĭ-tē) n.
prod′i·gal·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

prodigal

(ˈprɒdɪɡəl)
adj
1. recklessly wasteful or extravagant, as in disposing of goods or money
2. lavish in giving or yielding: prodigal of compliments.
n
a person who spends lavishly or squanders money
[C16: from Medieval Latin prōdigālis wasteful, from Latin prōdigus lavish, from prōdigere to squander, from pro-1 + agere to drive]
ˌprodiˈgality n
ˈprodigally adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

prod•i•gal

(ˈprɒd ɪ gəl)

adj.
1. wastefully or recklessly extravagant.
2. giving or yielding profusely; lavish (usu. fol. by of or with): to be prodigal with money.
3. lavishly abundant; profuse: prodigal resources.
n.
4. a person who spends money or uses resources with wasteful extravagance; wastrel or profligate.
prod′i•gal•ly, adv.
syn: See lavish.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.prodigal - a recklessly extravagant consumer
consumer - a person who uses goods or services
scattergood, spend-all, spendthrift, spender - someone who spends money prodigally
waster, wastrel - someone who dissipates resources self-indulgently
Adj.1.prodigal - recklessly wasteful; "prodigal in their expenditures"
wasteful - tending to squander and waste
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

prodigal

adjective
2. (often with of) lavish, bountiful, unstinting, unsparing, bounteous, profuse with You are prodigal of both your toil and your talent.
lavish generous, free, liberal, bountiful, open-handed, unstinting
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

prodigal

adjective
1. Characterized by excessive or imprudent spending:
2. Given to or marked by unrestrained abundance:
noun
A person who spends money or resources wastefully:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
marnotratný
ødsel
hóflaus
atgailaujantis paklydėlisišlaidžiaisūnus paklydėlis
izšķērdīgs

prodigal

[ˈprɒdɪgəl]
A. ADJpródigo
prodigal of (frm) → pródigo con
the prodigal sonel hijo pródigo
B. Ndespilfarrador(a) m/f
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

prodigal

[ˈprɒdɪgəl] adj (= extravagant) → prodigue
the Prodigal Son → le fils prodigue
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

prodigal

adjverschwenderisch; to be prodigal of somethingverschwenderisch mit etw umgehen; the prodigal son (Bibl, fig) → der verlorene Sohn
nVerschwender(in) m(f)
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

prodigal

[ˈprɒdɪgl] adjprodigo/a
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

prodigal

(ˈprodigəl) adjective
spending (money etc) too extravagantly; wasteful.
ˈprodigally adverb
ˌprodiˈgality (-ˈgӕ-) noun
the prodigal son
1. a disobedient and irresponsible son who wastes money on a life of pleasure and later returns home to ask for his parents' forgiveness.
2. a person who acts irresponsibly and later regrets it.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
References in classic literature ?
This must be some prodigal who hath sold his father's land, and would fain live merrily while the money lasts." And these latter being the greater number, the others came round, one by one to their way of thinking.
When Robin and those that were with him came in, all laughing at some merry jest he had been telling them, those that were near the Sheriff whispered to him, "Yon is a right mad blade, for he hath sold more meat for one penny this day than we could sell for three, and to whatsoever merry lass gave him a kiss he gave meat for nought." And others said, "He is some prodigal that hath sold his land for silver and gold, and meaneth to spend all right merrily."
One said, "He is a prodigal and has sold his father's land, and this is his first venture in trading."
"Once it was the Puritan Fathers who left our coasts," he is recorded to have said; "nowadays it is our Prodigal Sons."
"The prodigal has returned," she said, holding out her hand.
The uninvited guest Free and easy manners Salutary jokes A prodigal son Exit of the glutton A sudden change in fortune Danger of a visit to poor relations Plucking of a prosperous man A vagabond toilet A substitute for the very fine horse Hard travelling The uninvited guest and the patriarchal colt A beggar on horseback A catastrophe Exit of the merry vagabond
"When wealth comes to a man late in life or all at once, that man, in order not to change, must most likely become a miser -- that is to say, not spend much more money than he had done before; or else become a prodigal, and contract so many debts as to become poor again."
She is all energy, and spirit, and sunshine, and interest in everybody and everything, and pours out her prodigal love upon every creature that will take it, high or low, Christian or pagan, feathered or furred; and none has declined it to date, and none ever will, I think.
For Tahiti is smiling and friendly; it is like a lovely woman graciously prodigal of her charm and beauty; and nothing can be more conciliatory than the entrance into the harbour at Papeete.
And Nature, ever prodigal to her lovers, repays their favours in full measure.
Thompson, I would be even prodigal. Then for his kinsman, there is no better way than that you should seek the Advocate, tell him your tale, and offer testimony; whether he may take it or not, is quite another matter, and will turn on the D.
The rooks were awake in Randolph Crescent; but the windows looked down, discreetly blinded, on the return of the prodigal. John's pass-key was a recent privilege; this was the first time it had been used; and, oh!