adj · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˌiː.kəˈnɒm.ɪ.kəl/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˌɛk.əˈnɒm.ɪ.kəl/
Canada, General-American:/ˌɛk.əˈnɑ.mɪ.kəl/
Canada, General-American:/ˌi.kəˈnɑ.mɪ.kəl/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian:/ˌek.əˈnɔm.ɪ.kəl/
Australian:/ˌiː.kəˈnɔm.ɪ.kəl/
CMU ARPABET:EH2 K AH0 N AA1 M IH0 K AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:IY2 K AH0 N AA1 M IH0 K AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Careful with money so as not to spend too much; prudent; thrifty.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He was an economical person by nature.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: abstemious, penny-pinching, sparing, canny, chary, moderate, cheap, close with a buck, economic, economical, frugal, husbandly, huswifely, parsimonious, prudent, spareful, spary, thrifty, tight, tightwad
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Saving money or resources.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The new, eco-friendly bicycle was an economical purchase.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: bargainous, inexpensive, low-cost, brand X, budget, cheap, cheapie, cheapo, cheesy, competitive, economic, economical, el cheapo, low-end, low-priced, nickel, sixpenny, tinhorn, two a penny, unexpensive
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Relating to economy in any other sense.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Having a low economy rate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: expensive
5
adjective
Meaning 5
of or relating to an economy, the system of production and management of material wealth
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
economic growth
aspects of social, political, and economical life
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: economic
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective satellite
Meaning 6
using the minimum of time or resources necessary for effectiveness
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
an economic use of home heating oil
a modern economical heating system
an economical use of her time
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: economic
Antonyms: none provided
7
adjective satellite
Meaning 7
avoiding waste
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
an economical meal
an economical shopper
a frugal farmer
a frugal lunch
a sparing father and a spending son
sparing in their use of heat and light
stinting in bestowing gifts
thrifty because they remember the great Depression
`scotch' is used only informally
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: frugal, scotch, sparing, stinting
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *weyḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *wóyḱos Proto-Hellenic *wóikos Ancient Greek οἶκος (oîkos) Proto-Indo-European *nem-der. Proto-Indo-European *németi Proto-Hellenic *némō Ancient Greek νέμω (némō) Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Hellenic *-os Ancient Greek -ος (-os) Ancient Greek νόμος (nómos) Ancient Greek οἰκονόμος (oikonómos) Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh2 Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek οἰκονομία (oikonomía)bor. Latin oeconomia Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icus Latin oeconomicusder. Old French iconomikeder. Middle English iconomiquebor. Middle English economike, iconomique English economic English -al English economical From economic + -al.
Across languages
Translations
49 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
qənaətcil
— careful with money
Azerbaijani:
qənaətkar
— careful with money
Azerbaijani:
ekonom
— careful with money
Bulgarian:
икономичен
(ikonomičen)
— careful with money
Chinese Mandarin:
節約的 /节约的
(jiéyuē de)
— careful with money
Czech:
hospodárný
— careful with money
Dutch:
spaarzaam
— careful with money
Dutch:
zuinig
— careful with money
Finnish:
säästeliäs
— careful with money
Finnish:
säästäväinen
— careful with money
French:
économe
— careful with money
German:
sparsam
— careful with money
German:
wirtschaftlich
— careful with money
German:
ökonomisch
— careful with money
Greek:
οικονομικός
(oikonomikós)
— careful with money
Greek:
οικονόμος
(oikonómos)
— careful with money
Greek:
φειδωλός
(feidolós)
— careful with money
Hungarian:
gazdaságos
— careful with money
Irish:
eacnamaíoch
— careful with money
Irish:
eacnamúil
— careful with money
Latin:
parcus
— careful with money
Latvian:
ekonomisks
— careful with money
Persian:
اقتصادی
(eqtesâdi)
— careful with money
Polish:
ekonomiczny
— careful with money
Polish:
oszczędny
— careful with money
Russian:
эконо́мный
(ekonómnyj)
— careful with money
Russian:
бережли́вый
(berežlívyj)
— careful with money
Scottish Gaelic:
cùramach
— careful with money
Slovene:
varčen
— careful with money
Slovene:
gospodaren
— careful with money
Slovene:
ekonomičen
— careful with money
Spanish:
económico
— careful with money
Spanish:
ahorrador
— careful with money
Spanish:
ahorroso
— careful with money
Swedish:
sparsam
— careful with money
Ukrainian:
еконо́мний
(ekonómnyj)
— careful with money
Chinese Mandarin:
經濟實惠的 /经济实惠的
(jīngjì shíhuì de)
— saving money or resources
Finnish:
edullinen
— saving money or resources
Finnish:
taloudellinen
— saving money or resources
French:
économique
— saving money or resources
Greek:
οικονομικός
(oikonomikós)
— saving money or resources
Hungarian:
gazdaságos
— saving money or resources
Irish:
eacnamaíoch
— saving money or resources
Irish:
eacnamúil
— saving money or resources
Persian:
اقتصادی
(eqtesâdi)
— saving money or resources
Polish:
oszczędnościowy
— saving money or resources
Russian:
экономи́чный
(ekonomíčnyj)
— saving money or resources
Spanish:
económico
— saving money or resources
Ukrainian:
еконо́мний
(ekonómnyj)
— saving money or resources
