cheapskate

The word 'cheapskate' is an American English colloquialism from the late 19th century. It is a compound formed from 'cheap', in its sense of 'stingy' or 'miserly', and 'skate', a slang term for a contemptible or disreputable person. The term 'skate' itself may derive from the earlier use for a worn-out horse, extending to mean a worthless fellow. Thus, the literal combination creates a vivid image of a person who is contemptible specifically because of their excessive frugality or unwillingness to spend money.

Structure: cheap + skate - cheap: From Old English cēap (bargain, purchase, market), via Proto-Germanic. In this compound, it carries the sense of 'low cost' or 'stinginess'. - skate: A slang term, likely from the dialectal English word skate meaning a worn-out horse or a contemptible person, possibly of Scandinavian origin. Here, it functions as a pejorative suffix denoting a person.