From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishprodigalprod‧i‧gal1 /ˈprɒdɪɡəl $ ˈprɑː-/ adjective [usually before noun] formal 1 → prodigal son/daughter2 WASTE somethingspending money, wasting time etc in a careless way SYN extravagant a prodigal lifestyle
Examples from the Corpus
prodigal• A prodigal daughter, I had learned in only one day, I was not.• They came back on a parade float of prodigal love and public money, promising entertainment, nostalgia and success.• This is the distinctive method of instruction at Oxford, and it is extremely prodigal of time.• There was the prodigal scene at the door.• The prodigal son had returned to Parkhead.• He is a classic modern tough guy as well as being an Old Testament prodigal son.• The play, very moral in tone throughout, is a reworking of the theme of the return of the prodigal son.prodigalprodigal2 noun [countable] literary WASTE somethingsomeone who spends money carelessly and wastes their time – used humorouslyExamples from the Corpus
prodigal• But once connected, it was a different story one was taken in and cosseted like the biblical prodigal.Origin prodigal1 (1500-1600) Latin prodigus, from prodigere “to drive away, use wastefully” 