penny wise and pound foolish

adjective

Prudent and thrifty with small amounts of money, but wasteful with large amounts.

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Meanings

adjectivepenny wise and pound foolish (not generally comparable, comparative more penny wise and pound foolish, superlative most penny wise and pound foolish)

comparative more penny wise and pound foolish · superlative most penny wise and pound foolish · alternative penny-wise and pound-foolish · alternative penny wise, pound foolish

  1. idiomaticnot comparableusuallyPrudent and thrifty with small amounts of money, but wasteful with large amounts.

    In the past our government has nowhere been more penny wise and pound foolish than in connection with its expenditures for conservation.

    1942, Harry Elmer Barnes, Society in Transition: Problems of a Changing Age, page 122

Origin

From the British currency (one penny being one hundredth of a pound or, prior to decimalisation, one 240th of a pound).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 捨本逐末 /舍本逐末
  • 捨本逐末 /舍本逐末 (shěběn-zhúmò)thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Finnish pikkuasioissa tarkka mutta suurissa tuhlaavainen
  • pikkuasioissa tarkka mutta suurissa tuhlaavainenthrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Greek ακριβός στα πίτουρα και φτηνός στ’ αλεύρι
  • ακριβός στα πίτουρα και φτηνός στ’ αλεύρι (akrivós sta pítoura kai ftinós st’ alévri)thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Icelandic spara eyrinn en kasta krónunni
  • spara eyrinn en kasta krónunnithrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Japanese 安物買いの銭失い
  • 安物買いの銭失い (yasumono-gai no zeni-ushinai)thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Polish oszczędny, jeśli chodzi o małe kwoty, a rozrzutny w przypadku dużych sum
  • oszczędny, jeśli chodzi o małe kwoty, a rozrzutny w przypadku dużych sumthrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Romanian scump la tărâțe și ieftin la făină
  • scump la tărâțe și ieftin la făinăthrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Russian эконо́мный в мелоча́х и расточи́тельный в кру́пном
  • эконо́мный в мелоча́х и расточи́тельный в кру́пном (ekonómnyj v meločáx i rastočítelʹnyj v krúpnom)thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Spanish ahorra en el chocolate del loro, el dinero del avaro, dos veces va al mercado
  • ahorra en el chocolate del lorothrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
  • el dinero del avaro, dos veces va al mercadothrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
  • el dinero del pobre dos veces se gastathrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Thai เสียน้อยเสียยาก เสียมากเสียง่าย
  • เสียน้อยเสียยาก เสียมากเสียง่ายthrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Urdu گانتھ کا پورا عقل کا اندھا
  • گانتھ کا پورا عقل کا اندھا (gānṭh kā pūrā, 'aqal kā andhā)thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Welsh achub y blewyn a cholli’r bwrn
  • achub y blewyn a cholli’r bwrnthrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Cite this entry
APA

penny wise and pound foolish. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/penny%20wise%20and%20pound%20foolish

MLA

“penny wise and pound foolish.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/penny%20wise%20and%20pound%20foolish. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “penny wise and pound foolish,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/penny%20wise%20and%20pound%20foolish.

Source: penny wise and pound foolish on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.