expensive
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ɪkˈspɛnsɪv/
ipa: /ɛkˈspɛnsɪv/
Forms: form: more expensive
form: most expensive
form: expencive
Etymology: From Latin *expēnsīvus, from expendō (“to weigh out (money), to pay out”) (whence English expend). By surface analysis, expense + -ive. In the sense of "high-priced" has largely displaced dear.
Senses: examples: text: If successful, Edison and Ford—in 1914—would move society away from the ever more expensive and then universally known killing hazards of gasoline cars: air and water pollution, noise and noxiousness, constant coughing and the undeniable rise in cancers caused by smoke exhaust particulates.
ref: 2006, Edwin Black, “The Plan Against Oil”, in Internal Combustion: How Corporations and Governments Addicted the World to Oil and Derailed the Alternatives, New York: St. Martin's Press, →ISBN, page 2:
text: In Starbucks’s case, the firm has in effect turned the process of making an expensive cup of coffee into intellectual property.
ref: 2013 June 22, “The G8 summit: T time”, in The Economist, London: The Economist Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 09 Jul 2013:
synonyms: costly
high-priced
pricey
dear
antonyms: cheap
inexpensive
low-priced
glosses: Having a high price or cost.
examples: text: an unnecessarily expensive choice of algorithm
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: Taking a lot of system time or resources.
examples: text: […] And that he looked into his own affairs, and underſtood them; That he had, when abroad, been very expenſive; and contracted a large debt (for he made no ſecret of his affairs); […]
ref: 1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter IV. Miſs Clarissa Harlowe, To Miſs Howe.”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume I, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; […], →OCLC, page 22:
text: […] thus naturally generous and expenſive, he ſquandered away his money, and made a moſt ſplendid appearance upon the receipt of his quarterly appointment; […]
ref: 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, chapter XXV, in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume I, London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC, page 186:
glosses: Given to expending a lot of money; profligate, lavish.
topics: ball-games
cricket
games
hobbies
lifestyle
sports
antonyms: economical
glosses: Having a high economy rate.
Synonyms: word: big-ticket
word: costly
word: fancy
word: dear
word: dispendious
word: ex
word: expenny
word: expensive
word: lickpenny
word: high-priced
word: princely
word: out of sight
word: pricey
word: spendy
word: spenno
word: spenny
word: steep
Hyponyms: word: eye-watering
word: high-end
word: luxurious
word: plush
word: posh
word: sumptuous
word: unaffordable
word: unattainable
word: upmarket
word: upscale
word: overpriced
word: overvalued
Coordinate terms: word: mid-market
word: mid-range
word: middle-end
word: mid-tier
Derived terms: expenny
expensive drunk
expensively
expensiveness
inexpensive
it's too expensive
nonexpensive
spenno
spenny
spensive
'spensive
superexpensive
ultraexpensive
unexpensive
Related terms: word: expend
word: expenditure
word: expense
word: overpriced
word: $$$
word: an arm and a leg
word: cost-conscious
word: exorbitant
word: exploitive
word: no-frills
word: give one's eye-teeth
word: give one's left nut
word: give one's right arm
word: frugal
word: good value
word: inflationary
word: miser
word: miserly
word: pay through the nose
word: priced-off
word: price gouging
word: profligate
word: pretty penny
word: spendthrift
word: thrift
word: thrifty