prodigal

Etymology

From Middle French prodigal, from Late Latin prōdigālis (“wasteful”), from Latin prōdigus (“wasteful, lavish, prodigal”), from prōdigō (“to consume, squander, drive forth”), from prōd- [from prō (“before, forward”)] + agō (“to drive”). Also see prodigy.

adj

1. Wastefully extravagant.
   He found himself guilty of prodigal spending during the holidays.
   The prodigal son spent his share of his inheritance until he was destitute.
2. (often followed by of or with) Yielding profusely, lavish.
   She was a merry person, glad and prodigal of smiles.
   How can he be so prodigal with money on such a tight budget?
   Granville poised himself over a vast sirloin, stropped his knife briskly, then began to hack away ruthlessly. He was a prodigal server and piled about two pounds of meat on my plate, then he started on the Yorkshire puddings. 1974, James Herriot, Vet in Harness, page 201
3. Profuse, lavishly abundant.
4. (by allusion to the New Testament story commonly called "The Parable of the Prodigal Son", Luke 15:11–32) Behaving as a prodigal son:
   1. Having (selfishly) abandoned a person, group, or ideal.
   2. Returning or having returned, especially repentantly, after such an abandonment.
      Simon Hart of the Daily Telegraph has tweeted that the prodigal triple-jumper has come home, in preparation for tomorrow's qualification round. 2012-08-12, Paul Owen, “London 2012 Olympics: day 10”, in The Guardian

noun

1. A prodigal person; a spendthrift; a wastrel.