Word of the Day
December 15, 2022
Thrift
The quality of careful management of money and resources; economy and prudent financial habits; the practice of avoiding waste while achieving maximum benefit from available resources.
From Old Norse 'thrift' meaning prosperity, from 'thrifa' meaning to grasp or thrive. Related to 'thrive.' Originally meant thriving condition or prosperity before shifting to mean the careful management that leads to prosperity.
Usage Examples
- Thrift and industry built America's middle class before government programs promised to replace personal responsibility.
- Her grandmother's thrift during the Depression taught lessons that no economics textbook could match.
- The Founders believed thrift and self-reliance were essential virtues for a free people.
From the Show
Roosevelt’s praise of sustained thrift as a foundation of prosperity framed the December 15th broadcast, where guests contrasted individual financial prudence with government policies that destroy wealth through inflation and regulation.