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Definition of pennywise

pennywise

/ˈpɛn.i.waɪz/
pen · ny · wise
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pennywise Lexical Profile

pennywise Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Careful or thrifty in small financial matters, especially to a fault while being wasteful or short-sighted regarding larger expenses.

Example

"Cutting the maintenance budget to save a few hundred dollars proved to be a pennywise decision when the entire heating system failed."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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Word Nuance & Usage

Also commonly spelled with a hyphen as "penny-wise," this word is used almost exclusively in the proverbial phrase "penny-wise and pound-foolish" to criticize someone who saves trivial sums of money at the cost of much larger losses later.

• Rhymes for pennywise

• Nearby Words

pennsylvanian
penny
pennywhistle
pennywise
pennywort
pennyworth
penobscot

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in the early 17th century from the English noun "penny" and the suffix "-wise" (meaning prudent or discerning), originally coined inside the English proverb "penny-wise and pound-foolish" first recorded by writer Robert Burton in 1621.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Pennywise. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/pennywise
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