Parsimonious
Word of the Day
What is Parsimonious?
adjective
Unwilling to spend money or use resources; stingy or frugal to excess.
Pronunciation
Why This Word?
Chosen to explore thrift vs. stinginess — and Occam’s razor.
Examples of Use
Here's how this word appears in everyday language:
The grant reviewer preferred a parsimonious design.
His parsimonious habits bordered on miserly.
Parsimony guided the model selection process.
Word Origins
Latin parsimonia “frugality”
In science, parsimony favors simpler models with equal fit.
First appearance in English: early 17th century
Word Family
Related forms of this word:
-
Noun:
Model parsimony improves clarity.
-
Adjective:
A stingy policy underfunded services.
-
Adjective:
Her frugal approach avoided waste.
Around the World
How this word appears in other languages:
- Spanish: parsimonioso / tacaño
- French: parcimonieux
- German: knauserig / sparsam
- Italian: parsimonioso
- Portuguese: parcimonioso / avarento
If you Already Know This Word
If you've mastered this word, try these more advanced alternatives:
Miserly
Harsh moral judgment; parsimonious can be neutral.
Frugal
Positive thrift; parsimonious may be excessive.
Austere
Simplicity in style or life, not just money.
Fun Facts
- “Parsimony” in modelling trades complexity for interpretability.
- Literature caricatures the parsimonious as misers.
Cultural Usage
- Maximum parsimony is a criterion in phylogenetics.
- Occam’s razor endorses parsimonious explanations.
Common Mistakes
Not “poisonous”; watch the spelling.
Micro Story
A parsimonious budget cut essentials as well as extras.