Harpagon (en. Harpagon)

/aʁ.pa.ɡɔ̃/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench

noun

An individual who always seeks to accumulate money while spending as little as possible.

The businessman was a true miser, never spending a dime too much.

L'homme d'affaires était un véritable harpagon, ne dépensant jamais un centime de trop.

A person who is very frugal to the point of becoming miserly.

She didn't even invite me to dinner; she's really a miser.

Elle ne m'a même pas invité à dîner, c'est vraiment une harpagon.

A character trait defined by greed and avarice.

His miserly personality made him unhappy despite his wealth.

Sa personnalité de harpagon le rendait malheureux malgré sa richesse.

From the character Harpagon in Molière's play, 'The Miser'.

to be a miser

To be very stingy.

être un harpagon

to have a heart of a miser

To have an extremely frugal and ungenerous personality.

avoir un cœur de harpagon

to act like a miser

To act in a miserly manner.

agir comme un harpagon

avarice

The quality of someone who loves to accumulate wealth without wanting to spend.

avarice

thrift

A concept of careful management of resources, often leading to stinginess.

économie

To have a heart of stone

He is so stingy that it seems he has a heart of stone.

Il est si avare qu'on dirait qu'il a un cœur de pierre.

To be stingy with money

She pinches pennies like a true miser.

Elle pince les sous comme une vraie harpagon.