expensive
adj/ɪkˈspɛnsɪv/ · [ɪkˈspɛnsɪv]
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.
1
Having a high price or cost.
- 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.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:
- In Starbucks’s case, the firm has in effect turned the process of making an expensive cup of coffee into intellectual property.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:
2
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences Taking a lot of system time or resources.
- an unnecessarily expensive choice of algorithm
3
Obsolete Given to expending a lot of money; profligate, lavish.
- […] 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); […]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; [a]nd sold by A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, page 22:
- […] thus naturally generous and expenſive, he ſquandered away his money, and made a moſt ſplendid appearance upon the receipt of his quarterly appointment; […]1751, [Tobias] Smollett, chapter XXV, in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume I, London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC, page 186:
4
Ball games, Cricket, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports Having a high economy rate.
- Synonyms
29 terms
5-star, big-ticket, chargeful, cheap at half the price, costful, costly, cost-prohibitive, fancy, dear, dearthful, dispendious, ex, expenny, expensive, exy, high-cost, lickpenny, million-dollar, high-priced, princely, out of sight, overdear, pricey, ruinous, spendy, spenno, spenny, splurgy, steep- Antonyms
- affordable, attainable, bargain, budget, cheap, discount, economical, econo-, inexpensive, jitney, low-end, low-priced, nickel, value
- Derived terms
- expenny, expensive drunk, expensively, expensiveness, inexpensive, it's too expensive, nonexpensive, spenno, spenny, spensive, 'spensive, superexpensive, ultraexpensive, unexpensive
- Related terms
26 terms
expend, expenditure, expense, overpriced, $$$, an arm and a leg, cost-conscious, exorbitant, exploitive, no-frills, give one's eye-teeth, give one's left nut, give one's right arm, frugal, good value, inflationary, miser, miserly, pay through the nose, priced-off, price gouging, profligate, pretty penny, spendthrift, thrift, thrifty- Hypernyms
- priced
- Hyponyms
- eye-watering, high-end, luxurious, plush, posh, semiaffordable, sumptuous, unaffordable, unattainable, upmarket, upscale, overpriced, overvalued, superexpensive, ultraexpensive
- Coordinate terms
- mid-market, mid-range, middle-end, mid-tier