prodigal

Meanings

• adjective

  Extravagantly wasteful of resources or money.

  - "The prodigal son spent his inheritance on expensive clothes and parties."
  - "The company's prodigal use of resources led to financial ruin."

• adjective

  Returning after a long absence or wandering.

  - "The prodigal son returned home after many years."
  - "The lost hiker was a prodigal when he finally found his way back to camp."

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Antonyms

frugal

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Rhymes

Words rhyming with prodigal
hymnal , moral , banal , canal

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Variants

List of all variants of prodigal that leads to same result
prodigal , prodigalities , prodigality , prodigally , prodigals , prodigal daughter , prodigal son , prodigal son/daughter

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Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

From Latin prodigus, meaning 'beforehand, foreseeing,' later 'extravagant,' from prodegeri, 'to drive forth.'

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Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. The term 'prodigal' is also used in mathematics to describe a function that grows without bound as it approaches a certain value.

2. In music, a 'prodigy' is a young person who shows exceptional talent or skill in a particular area.

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Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. wasteful: Related concept: A person or thing that uses more resources than necessary, often leading to inefficiency or waste.

2. extravagance: Related concept: A lavish or excessive use of resources or money.

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Quotes

Quotes by authors and personalities

1. Mr. Bulstrode replied without haste, but also without hesitation. "I am grieved, though, I confess, not surprised by this information, Mr. Lydgate. For my own part, I regretted your alliance with my brother-in-law's family, which has always been of "prodigal" habits, and which has already been much indebted to me for sustainment in its present position … "

   - George Eliot,{it}Middlemarch{/it},1872

2. The "prodigal" use of antibiotics in animals has the same consequence as their overprescription for human beings.

   - Cullen Murphy,{it}New York Times Book Review{/it},10 June 1984

3. We sipped our beers and wondered at one another, at what was left of all that and of those "prodigal" days.

   - Michael Chabon,{it}A Model World and Other Stories{/it},1991

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Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

The term 'prodigal' is most famously used in the parable of the Prodigal Son from the New Testament, where a young man squanders his inheritance and later returns home to be welcomed back by his father.

How to Memorize "prodigal"

1. visualize
   

   - Visualize the image of a person or thing that represents 'prodigal,' such as a young man spending money recklessly or a wandering traveler.

2. associate
   

   - Associate the word 'prodigal' with concepts like 'wasteful,' 'extravagant,' and 'returning home.'

3. mnemonics
   

   - Create a mnemonic using the first letter of each definition: 'Presents Prodigious Waste; Returns Home.'

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