noun
miser
MY-zer/ˈmaɪzər/
A person who hoards money and avoids spending it.
The miser keeps his fortune hidden and refuses to buy necessities.
Etymology
Latin miser meant 'unhappy' or 'wretched,' and English first used it for a miserable person. The money-hoarding sense arose from the presumed unhappiness of people who live as though poor despite their wealth.
In context
The Miser went out into his garden to count his coins continued the same routine every day but he never spent a single golden coin
More examples
- Despite her wealth, the miser refuses to replace her broken heater.
- He saves carefully, but he's no miser; he gives generously to charity.
- The story's two misers count their coins instead of enjoying their wealth.
Forms
miser · misers
miserly adjective — Unwilling to spend or share money.
Similar words
- skinflint
- Emphasizes extreme unwillingness to spend, rather than hoarding money.
- cheapskate
- Informal criticism of someone avoiding expenses, not necessarily accumulating wealth.