Niggardliness
/ˈnɪɡ.ərd.lɪ.nəs/noun
The quality of being stingy or miserly.
Did you know?The term 'niggard' comes from a Middle English word meaning 'stingy', which shares a root with the Old Norse word 'nigla', meaning 'to be stingy or miserly'.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
Middle English
niggard
“A miser or stingy person.”
Old Norse
Old Norse
nigla
“To be stingy or miserly.”
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*nigwaz
“To be reluctant or stingy.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*neḱ-
“To be unwilling, reflecting a sense of avoidance or reluctance.”