What does cheapie mean?
Cheapie is an informal noun used to describe an item that costs very little. In its most common sense it is neutral or even affectionate — a cheapie is a bargain, the sort of low-cost purchase picked up without much deliberation, from a supermarket's own-brand product to a last-minute plane ticket. In a second sense it can carry a faint note of disparagement, implying that something is cheap not merely in price but in construction: a cheapie is flimsy, disposable, or shoddily made. The word derives from 'cheap', which itself traces back to the Old English 'cēap', meaning trade or purchase, so a cheapie is etymologically rooted in the marketplace. It is standard across British and American English and appears frequently in consumer reviews, shopping contexts, and casual conversation. While too colloquial for formal prose, it is a vivid and widely understood way to signal either thriftiness or poor quality.
An item that costs little; a cheap purchase.
"The wine was a cheapie, but it paired surprisingly well with dinner."
Often neutral or positive when emphasizing value.
A product of poor or inferior quality because it was made cheaply.
"Don't bother with that tool — it's a cheapie that will fall apart after one use."
Carries a mildly dismissive tone.
Regular plural formation by adding -s.
"She stocked up on a few cheapies before prices went up."
Born from the Old English word for 'trade,' cheapie is a reminder that 'cheap' originally meant 'market' — a cheapie was once just a good deal at the market.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cheapie
Cheapie is formed from the adjective 'cheap' with the diminutive suffix '-ie', emerging in informal English usage in the late 19th to early 20th century. 'Cheap' itself comes from Old English 'cēap', meaning trade or purchase, which also gave us 'chapman' (a peddler) and survives in the place name Cheapside, formerly London's main market street. The suffix '-ie' is a familiar English diminutive used to create informal nouns.
How cheapie is actually used
Informal register, common in everyday speech and casual writing. The word can carry mildly dismissive connotations when referring to quality (sense two), but is often neutral or even positive when describing a bargain (sense one).
Easily confused with cheapie
'Cheapy' is simply a variant spelling of the same word, with 'cheapie' being the more common form.