The meaning of PRODIGAL is characterized by profuse or wasteful expenditure : lavish.

PRODIGAL definition: 1. spending or using large amounts of money, time, energy, etc., especially in a way that is not…. Learn more.

PRODIGAL definition: wastefully or recklessly extravagant. See examples of prodigal used in a sentence.

1. a disobedient and irresponsible son who wastes money on a life of pleasure and later returns home to ask for his parents' forgiveness.

Dec 11, 2025 · prodigal (comparative more prodigal, superlative most prodigal) He found himself guilty of prodigal spending during the holidays. The prodigal son spent his share of his inheritance until he …

There are 11 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word prodigal, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Prodigal Son is an American procedural drama television series created by Chris Fedak and Sam Sklaver for the Fox Broadcasting Company that premiered on September 23, 2019, and concluded …

You can describe someone as a prodigal son or daughter if they leave their family or friends, often after a period of behaving badly, and then return at a later time as a better person.

prodigal son/daughter : a son/daughter who leaves his or her parents to do things that they do not approve of but then feels sorry and returns home — often used figuratively

(often followed by of or with) Someone 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?