Kenneth Branagh
Mark Snow
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Learn the meaning of prodigal as an adjective and a noun, with synonyms, examples, and word history. Find out how prodigal is related to the parable of the prodigal son and the phrase prodigal son.
giving or yielding profusely; very generous; lavish (usually followed by of or with ): prodigal of smiles; prodigal with praise. Synonyms: bounteous, copious. lavishly abundant; profuse: nature's prodigal resources. Synonyms: bounteous, copious. noun. a person who is wasteful of their money, possessions, etc.; spendthrift:
Learn the meaning of prodigal as an adjective or a noun, and how to use it in different contexts. Find out the synonyms, related words, and examples of prodigal from the Cambridge Dictionary.
The noun forms of the word, meaning "a wasteful person" or "one who returns home after a period of bad behavior," relate to this biblical story. You can also use prodigal to describe something that is very abundant or generous, such as prodigal praise. Prodigal comes from the Latin word prodigere, "to drive away or waste."
Find 90 words that mean prodigal, such as wasteful, spendthrift, or lavish, and their opposites, such as frugal, thrifty, or miserly. Learn how to use prodigal as an adjective or a noun, and see related articles and examples.
- Some common synonyms of prodigal are exuberant, lavish, lush, luxuriant, and profuse. While all these words mean "giving or given out in great abun...
- The words exuberant and prodigal can be used in similar contexts, but exuberant implies marked vitality or vigor in what produces abundantly. // an...
- The synonyms lavish and prodigal are sometimes interchangeable, but lavish suggests an unstinted or unmeasured profusion. // a lavish party
- The meanings of lush and prodigal largely overlap; however, lush suggests rich, soft luxuriance. // a lush green lawn
- In some situations, the words luxuriant and prodigal are roughly equivalent. However, luxuriant suggests a rich and splendid abundance. // a luxuri...
- Although the words profuse and prodigal have much in common, profuse implies pouring forth without restraint. // profuse apologies
Learn the meaning of prodigal, an adjective that describes someone who spends money or time wastefully, and the origin of the word. Find out how to use prodigal in a sentence and see related idioms and synonyms.
1. You can describe someone as a prodigal son or daughter if they leave their family or friends, often after a period of behaving badly, and then return at a later time as a better person. [literary] [...] 2. Someone who behaves in a prodigal way spends a lot of money carelessly without thinking about what will happen when they have none left.
