- Today's Word
Penurious
puh-NYOOR-ee-uhs
Definition
- (adjective) Extremely poor; unwilling to spend money; stingy.
Example
The penurious landlord refused to fix the broken heating system during winter.
Fun Fact
“Penurious” shares roots with the word penury, meaning extreme poverty. But beyond being poor, it also implies miserly behavior—think Ebenezer Scrooge before his Christmas transformation. The word paints a picture of both lack and refusal: having little and holding tight to what little one has.
(verb) To obtain something by persuasion, scheming, or clever manipulation.
He managed to wangle an invitation to the exclusive event through a friend of a friend.
Late 19th century: originally printers’ slang, possibly an alteration of “waggle” meaning “to move unsteadily,” suggesting indirect or roundabout methods.