Niggardly

Pronunciation: /ˈnɪɡərdli/

Definitions of niggardly

adjective showing a lack of generosity; stingy

Example Sentences

A1 He was niggardly with his compliments, rarely saying anything nice to anyone.

A2 The niggardly boss refused to give his employees a raise, despite their hard work.

B1 The niggardly customer complained about the portion size of the meal, even though it was clearly stated on the menu.

B2 She was known for her niggardly behavior when it came to sharing her resources with others.

C1 The company's niggardly approach to employee benefits led to low morale and high turnover rates.

C2 Despite his immense wealth, he remained niggardly in his charitable donations, much to the disappointment of the community.

Examples of niggardly in a Sentence

formal The company's niggardly approach to employee benefits was met with widespread criticism.

informal He's so niggardly when it comes to sharing his snacks.

slang Don't be so niggardly with your money, just treat yourself once in a while.

figurative Her heart was niggardly with forgiveness after being betrayed.

Grammatical Forms of niggardly

• past tense: niggardlied
• plural: niggardlies
• comparative: more niggardly
• superlative: most niggardly
• present tense: niggardly
• future tense: will niggardly
• perfect tense: has niggardlied
• continuous tense: is niggardlying
• singular: niggardly
• positive degree: niggardly
• infinitive: to niggardly
• gerund: niggardlying
• participle: niggardlyed

Origin and Evolution of niggardly

First Known Use: 1553 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'niggardly' originated from the Middle English word 'nigard', which was derived from the Old Norse 'hnøgr' meaning 'stingy' or 'miserly'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'niggardly' has retained its negative connotation of being miserly or stingy, but due to its similarity in sound to a racial slur, it has become a controversial term and is often avoided in modern usage.