niggard Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a selfish person who is unwilling to give or spend
    churl; skinflint; scrooge.

WordNet

Nig"gard noun
Etymology
Icel. hnöggr niggardly, stingy + -ard; cf. Sw. njugg, AS. hneáw.
Definitions
  1. A person meanly close and covetous; one who spends grudgingly; a stingy, parsimonous fellow; a miser. Chaucer.
    A penurious niggard of his wealth. Milton.
    Be niggards of advice on no pretense. Pope.
Nig"gard adjective
Definitions
  1. Like a niggard; meanly covetous or parsimonious; niggardly; miserly; stingy.
Nig"gard transitive verb & intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To act the niggard toward; to be niggardly. R. Shak.

Webster 1913