parsimony Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun extreme care in spending money; reluctance to spend money unnecessarily
    parsimoniousness; penny-pinching; thrift.
  2. noun extreme stinginess
    tightfistedness; parsimoniousness; minginess; niggardliness; meanness; closeness; niggardness; tightness.

WordNet

Par"si*mo*ny noun
Etymology
L. parsimonia, parcimonia; cf. parcere to spare, parsus sparing: cf. F. parcimonie.
Definitions
  1. Closeness or sparingness in the expenditure of money; -- generally in a bad sense; excessive frugality; niggardliness. Bacon.
    Awful parsimony presided generally at the table. Thackeray.
    Syn. -- Economy; frugality; illiberality; covetousness; closeness; stinginess. See Economy.

Webster 1913