MISERLY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does miserly mean? 

• MISERLY (adjective)
  The adjective MISERLY has 1 sense:

1. (used of persons or behavior) characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity

  Familiarity information: MISERLY used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MISERLY (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(used of persons or behavior) characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity

Synonyms:

mean; mingy; miserly; tight

Context example:

he left a miserly tip

Similar:

stingy; ungenerous (unwilling to spend (money, time, resources, etc.))

Derivation:

miser (a stingy hoarder of money and possessions (often living miserably))

miserliness (total lack of generosity with money)

 Context examples 

"The pincher," was his thought; "too miserly to burn two cents' worth of gas and save his boarders' necks."

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Thorpe then said something in the loud, incoherent way to which he had often recourse, about its being a d—thing to be miserly; and that if people who rolled in money could not afford things, he did not know who could, which Catherine did not even endeavour to understand.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by education or society; the greatest part of his life having been spent under the guidance of an illiterate and miserly father; and though he belonged to one of the universities, he had merely kept the necessary terms, without forming at it any useful acquaintance.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)