prodigal

Etymology

From Middle French prodigal, from Late Latin prodigalis (“wasteful”), from Latin prodigus (“wasteful, lavish, prodigal”), from prodigere (“to consume, squander, drive forth”), from pro (“before, forward”) + agere (“to drive”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɒdɪɡəl/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɑdɪɡəl/, [ˈpʰɹɑɾɪɡɫ̩]

Adjective

prodigal (comparative more prodigal, superlative most prodigal)

1. wastefully extravagant.

   He found himself guilty of prodigal spending during the holidays.

   He is a prodigal son.

2. (often followed by of or with) someone yielding profusely, lavish

   She was a merry person, glad and prodigal of smiles.

   How can he be so prodigal with money on such a tight budget?

3. profuse, lavishly abundant
4. (by allusion to the Biblical parable of the prodigal son) returning after abandoning a person, group, or ideal, especially for selfish reasons; being a prodigal son.
   • 2012 August 12, Paul Owen, “London 2012 Olympics: day 10”, in The Guardian‎:

     Simon Hart of the Daily Telegraph has tweeted that the prodigal triple-jumper has come home, in preparation for tomorrow's qualification round.

Noun

prodigal (plural prodigals)

1. A prodigal person, a spendthrift.

Further reading

• prodigal in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• prodigal in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• prodigal at OneLook Dictionary Search