profligate
UK: /ˈprɒflɪɡət/ | US: /ˈprɑːflɪɡət/
adj. recklessly extravagant or wasteful
adj. shamelessly immoral or dissolute
n. a person who is recklessly extravagant or morally unrestrained
The word "profligate" originates from Latin profligatus, the past participle of profligare ("to strike down, overthrow"). It combines pro- ("forward") and fligere ("to strike"), suggesting a metaphorical "striking down" of moral or financial restraint. Over time, it evolved to describe someone who is recklessly wasteful or morally degenerate, emphasizing a "fallen" or unrestrained state.
His profligate spending left him bankrupt within a year.
The king was notorious for his profligate lifestyle.
She criticized the profligate use of natural resources.
The novel’s antagonist is a charming but profligate aristocrat.
Environmentalists warn against profligate energy consumption.