tacaño

Spanish

Etymology

Probably from Hebrew תקנה (takaná, “religious ordinance, rule”), whence also Yiddish תּקנה (takone, “correction”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /taˈkaɲo/ [t̪aˈka.ɲo]
• Rhymes: -aɲo
• Syllabification: ta‧ca‧ño

Adjective

tacaño (feminine tacaña, masculine plural tacaños, feminine plural tacañas)

1. stingy, miserly, cheap, tight-fisted, niggardly, mean, penny-pinching

   Synonyms: pesetero, rata, mezquino, roñoso

   Mi papá es un tacaño, no paga nada.

   My father is stingy, he doesn't pay for anything.

Noun

tacaño m (plural tacaños, feminine tacaña, feminine plural tacañas)

1. miser, cheapskate, tightwad, skinflint, penny pincher, niggard (someone avoiding to spend money)

   Synonyms: pesetero, mezquino, roñoso, avaro, miserable, rata

Further reading

• “tacaño”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025