Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

skinflint

/ˈskɪnflɪnt/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.51 in modern English

Syllables: skin-flint
IPA: /ˈskɪnflɪnt/

16

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

One who is excessively stingy or cautious with money; a tightwad; a miser.

Example Sentences

"You know, he is quite a different sort from the Public Prosecutor and our other provincial skinflints--fellows who shiver in their shoes before they will spend a single kopeck."

Etymology

From the phrase skin a flint (“go to extreme lengths for the sake of gain or economy”), from the brittleness and hardness of flint which makes it almost impossible to remove just its skin without shattering it.

Inflected Forms

skinflints (plural)

Derived Forms

skinflintiness

Synonyms

niggard scrooge churl

Rhymes With

isn't print hint sprint mint flint stint clint blueprint reprint imprint tint

Questions

How do you pronounce skinflint?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈskɪnflɪnt/.
What does skinflint mean?: One who is excessively stingy or cautious with money; a tightwad; a miser.
Where does skinflint come from?: From the phrase skin a flint (“go to extreme lengths for the sake of gain or economy”), from the brittleness and hardness of flint which makes it almost impossible to remove just its skin without shattering it.

How to pronounce skinflint

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “skinflint”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈskɪnflɪnt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “skinflint”.
Repeat and practice — Say “skinflint” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.