Prodigal
— wastefully extravagant; recklessly spending
Prodigal describes someone who spends money or resources in a recklessly extravagant or wasteful way. It implies not just generosity but excess — a prodigal person throws away wealth without thought for the future.
The word is most famously associated with the biblical parable of the Prodigal Son, who squandered his inheritance on lavish living. Because of this association, prodigal can also carry a secondary sense of a repentant return after a period of wastefulness, though its core meaning remains centered on reckless extravagance.
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Memory Mnemonic
PRO DIG GAL
The keyword PRO DIG GAL comes from how Prodigal sounds when spoken aloud. This pronunciation connection makes it easy to recall the keyword whenever you hear or see the word.
Memory Link
The PRO DIGger GAL threw diamonds back into the ground—wastefully extravagant, recklessly spending her fortune!
Imagine a PRO DIGger GAL — a professional treasure hunter who digs up priceless diamonds, only to carelessly toss them back into the ground, wasting her fortune in the most recklessly extravagant way imaginable. PRO DIG GAL gives you the keyword, and the image of someone throwing away treasure captures the wasteful extravagance of prodigal. Visualise her standing in a pit of gems, flinging diamonds over her shoulder without a second thought.
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Step 1: Derive a keyword from the word based on how the word is spelled or pronounced. Next time you see the word, you will be able to derive the keyword from it because it is based on the word.
Step 2: Form a visual memory link that connects the keyword and the meaning(s) of the word you are learning.
Step 3: Ensure to Visualise the image, see it in your imagination. This is important even if it takes a few seconds.
Usage Examples
- His prodigal spending habits left him bankrupt before he turned thirty.
- The prodigal heir burned through the family fortune in less than five years.
- Critics accused the government of prodigal use of taxpayer funds on vanity projects.
- After years of prodigal living abroad, she returned home with nothing but regret.
- The company could not sustain its prodigal investment strategy and was forced to restructure.
Etymology of Prodigal
From Latin prodigus, meaning "wasteful" or "lavish," derived from prodigere — "to drive forth" or "to squander" (from pro- "forth" + agere "to drive"). The word entered English in the 15th century, largely through the biblical Parable of the Prodigal Son.
Synonyms & Antonyms of Prodigal
Synonyms
Antonyms
Common Collocations with Prodigal
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