spendthrift
UK: ˈspɛndθrɪft | US: ˈspɛndθrɪft
n. a person who spends money recklessly or wastefully
adj. (archaic) wasteful or extravagant
The word "spendthrift" is a fascinating contradiction. It combines "spend" (from Old English spendan, meaning "to expend money") and "thrift" (from Old Norse þrift, meaning "prosperity" or "economy"). Originally, "thrift" referred to careful management of resources, but in this compound, it ironically describes someone who spends rather than saves. The term emerged in the early 17th century to critique reckless extravagance, highlighting the tension between its morphemes—a linguistic paradox.
The young heir was a notorious spendthrift, squandering his fortune on luxury cars.
Victorian novels often depict spendthrift characters as tragic figures doomed to poverty.
Despite her modest income, she lived like a spendthrift, maxing out credit cards.
The term "spendthrift trust" refers to a legal arrangement to protect assets from wasteful heirs.
His spendthrift habits left him bankrupt by age thirty.