piggybank
piggybank Lexical Profile
piggybank Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A small container with a narrow slot in the top, traditionally shaped like a pig, used especially by children for saving coins.
"She dropped her weekly allowance into the ceramic piggybank on her bookshelf."
A personal fund, reserve of money, or financial resource saved for future use or emergencies.
"The municipal government had to dip into its emergency piggybank to cover the unexpected infrastructure repairs."
• verb
To save or accumulate money or resources gradually in small amounts for future use (informal).
"He spent the entire summer piggybanking his tips so he could afford a new laptop before the semester started."
Word Nuance & Usage
While the open compound 'piggy bank' is the most common spelling in modern English, the closed form 'piggybank' is also widely accepted, particularly when used figuratively or as a verb.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 20th century from 'piggy' (diminutive of 'pig') and 'bank', referencing the traditional ceramic pig-shaped coin containers that originated in Europe during the late Middle Ages.