Prodigal Definition
prŏdĭ-gəl
adjective
Exceedingly or recklessly wasteful.
Webster's New World
Rashly or wastefully extravagant.
Prodigal expenditures on unneeded weaponry; a prodigal nephew who squandered his inheritance.
American Heritage
Extremely generous; lavish.
Prodigal with one's praise.
Webster's New World
Extremely abundant; profuse.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
noun
One who is given to wasteful luxury or extravagance.
American Heritage
A person who wastes his means; spendthrift.
Webster's New World
A person who returns after a willful absence.
Webster's New World
Other Word Forms of Prodigal
Noun
Singular:
prodigal
Plural:
prodigalsOrigin of Prodigal
-
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 proud agere to drive ag- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
-
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").
From Wiktionary
Find Similar Words
Find similar words to prodigal using the buttons below.