recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources
example
His profligate spending habits quickly drained his savings and put him in debt.
synonyms
extravagantwastefulreckless
word origin — From the Latin 'profligatus', the past participle of 'profligare', meaning 'to dash down, overthrow' or 'to waste' (from 'pro-' meaning 'away, forth' + 'fligere' meaning 'to strike').
GRE Vocabulary — Set 186
Set 186 of GRE Vocabulary covers 5 words: profligate, profuse, prosaic, protracted, prudent. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
profligate · adjective/ˈprɑːflɪɡət/
recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources
His profligate spending habits quickly drained his savings and put him in debt.
Synonyms: extravagant, wasteful, reckless
Origin: From the Latin 'profligatus', the past participle of 'profligare', meaning 'to dash down, overthrow' or 'to waste' (from 'pro-' meaning 'away, forth' + 'fligere' meaning 'to strike').
profuse · adjective/prəˈfjuːs/
exhibiting great abundance or excess
After the heavy rainfall, the garden was filled with profuse blooms of colorful flowers, creating a stunning display.
Synonyms: exuberant, lavish, abundant
Origin: from Latin 'profusus', meaning 'poured forth'
prosaic · adjective/proʊˈzeɪɪk/
commonplace or dull; lacking imagination or originality
The author's latest novel was criticized for its prosaic plot, lacking the excitement that readers had come to expect.
Synonyms: mundane, ordinary, banal
Origin: derived from the Latin word 'prosaicus', which means 'straightforward' or 'commonplace', from 'prosa', meaning ' prose '
protracted · adjective/prəˈtræktɪd/
lasting for a long time or longer than expected
The negotiations for the new trade agreement became protracted, lasting several months longer than anyone had anticipated.
Synonyms: extended, prolonged, drawn-out
Origin: from the Latin 'protractus', the past participle of 'protractus', meaning 'to draw out' or 'extend'.
prudent · adjective/ˈpruːdənt/
acting with or showing care and thought for the future
It is prudent to save a portion of your income for unexpected expenses.
Synonyms: wise, cautious, sagacious
Origin: Middle English, from Latin 'prudentem', which is the accusative of 'prudens', meaning 'foreseeing, sagacious'.