Words / C2

p-uh-NY-oorr-ee-uh-s/pəˈnjʊəriəs/

Penurious means extremely poor, or mean with money (formal): a penurious existence, a penurious grant. Poor (already in the dictionary) is everyday; parsimonious (already in the dictionary) is stingy with resources, the close vice. Impoverished is the state. Do not brand a required second post as luxury when the rota is penurious.

Meaning

Extremely poor; also mean with money (formal).

Examples

• “A penurious rota is not “lean”; name the second invigilator.”
• “Poor is everyday (already in the dictionary). Penniless is informal. Parsimonious is stingy (already in C2) — the money-vice cousin, not always destitution. Austere is severe simplicity. One person on a night clinic is a risk, not a virtue. Lean is a slogan; a named deputy is the staffing fact.”

Good to know

Poverty-stricken; also stingy (formal). Everyday: poor. Close vice: parsimonious (already in C2). Lean ≠ an empty night post.

Near in meaning

poor

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