What does inexpensive mean?
Inexpensive means affordable or low in price, with the emphasis on how much something costs rather than on its quality. It is commonly used for products, services, accommodation, meals, and activities: an inexpensive hotel, an inexpensive meal, or an inexpensive way to learn something. Although inexpensive often corresponds closely to cheap, it generally has a more neutral and respectful tone and does not necessarily suggest that something is poorly made or undesirable. In formal writing, it can provide a precise alternative to cheap when describing a modest cost without criticizing the item itself. The word is especially useful in contexts where price is one consideration among several, such as travel planning, education, shopping, or budgeting. Its meaning is straightforward, but its neutral connotation allows it to describe both practical everyday choices and goods that may be surprisingly good despite their low price.
adjectiveAffordable or costing little money. It describes something that is inexpensive without necessarily suggesting that it is of poor quality.
- Affordable; costing little money.
"The restaurant offers an inexpensive but genuinely delicious lunch."
"They found an inexpensive hotel near the station."
"The course is an inexpensive way to improve your practical skills."
The prefix in inexpensive means 'not' here, not 'inside': inexpensive is literally 'not expensive.'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does inexpensive come from?
Inexpensive was formed in the early 19th century from the prefix in-, meaning 'not,' and the adjective expensive. Expensive comes through Old French from Latin expensivus, a derivative of expendere, related to the Latin word for spending or weighing out. Inexpensive therefore developed with the sense 'not costly' and became established alongside the older word expensive.
How inexpensive is actually used
Inexpensive is generally more neutral and sometimes more formal than cheap. It is especially useful when a low price should not imply inferior quality.
Easily confused with inexpensive
Inexpensive simply means that something costs little, whereas cheap can also suggest low quality, poor value, or a disparaging attitude toward something inexpensive.