What does mingy mean?
Mingy is an informal adjective meaning stingy, miserly, or ungenerous. It is especially used to describe an amount of money, food, space, or assistance that seems unnecessarily small, often implying that the person providing it is reluctant to give generously. For example, a restaurant might serve “mingy portions,” or a person might complain that they received “a mingy tip” for their work. The word has a somewhat blunt and disapproving tone, making it more suitable for informal speech or expressive writing than for neutral formal prose. It is chiefly associated with British English and is considerably less common in American English. While “miserly” and “parsimonious” can cover similar ideas, “mingy” often conveys not only careful spending but a distinctly mean-spirited unwillingness to provide an adequate amount.
adjectiveStingy or miserly, especially in the amount of money, food, space, or assistance provided. It often implies a mean-spirited reluctance to share or provide generously.
- Stingy, miserly, or unwilling to provide or share generously, especially in the amount of money, food, space, or assistance given.
"The landlord offered only a mingy increase in the rent, despite years of careful maintenance."
"The charity was given a mingy sum that would barely cover the cost of repairs."
"We had only a mingy selection of food left in the cupboard."
A “mingy” portion is not merely small; it is small in a way that suggests reluctance to be generous.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mingy come from?
The exact origin of “mingy” is uncertain, despite several proposed etymologies. The word was established in British English by the early nineteenth century and has since remained chiefly associated with British usage.
Related word forms
How mingy is actually used
Informal and generally disparaging. It is most common in British English and can sound more openly judgmental than the more formal “parsimonious.”
Easily confused with mingy
Both words can describe excessive frugality, but they differ in emphasis: “mingy” focuses on an inadequate or ungenerous amount, whereas “mean” can also mean unkind, spiteful, or average.