spare

English

/ˈspɛə(ɹ)/, /ˈspɛəɹ/

adj
Definitions
  • Scant; not abundant or plentiful.
  • Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; not spending much money.
  • Being more than what is necessary, or what must be used or reserved; not wanted, or not used; superfluous.
  • Held in reserve, to be used in an emergency.
  • Lean; lacking flesh; meager; thin; gaunt.
  • (UK) Very angry; frustrated or distraught.
  • (obsolete) Slow.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English spare inherited from Old English spær (scant, sparing) inherited from Proto-Germanic *sparaz derived from Proto-Indo-European *sper- (twist, scatter, strew, be quick, sow, twitch, turn, fidget, jump, flinch, push, be productive, earn).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*sper-

Gloss

twist, scatter, strew, be quick, sow, twitch, turn, fidget, jump, flinch, push, be productive, earn

Concept
Semantic Field

Motion

Ontological Category

Action/Process

Kanji

踊

Emoji
🪢

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms