Added 9 October 2026
skimp
/ˈskɪmp/ verb
verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about skimp at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
verb
- To slight; to do carelessly; to scamp.
- To make insufficient allowance for; to scant; to scrimp.
- To save; to be parsimonious or stingy.
noun
Origin
Perhaps of North Germanic origin, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *skimpijaną (“to skip, dance, gesture, mock”). Cognate with Icelandic skimpa (“to scoff at, scorn”), dialectal Swedish skimpa (“to skip, dance”), Faroese skumpa (“to shove, bump”), German schimpfen (“to grumble, scold”), Dutch schimpen (“to mock, make fun of, scold”). Possibly distantly related to change.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)