[syn: economic, economical]
4. concerned with worldly necessities of life (especially money);
- Example: "he wrote the book primarily for economic reasons"
- Example: "gave up the large house for economic reasons"
- Example: "in economic terms they are very privileged"
5. financially rewarding;
- Example: "it was no longer economic to keep the factory open"
- Example: "have to keep prices high enough to make it economic to continue the service"
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Economic \E`co*nom"ic\ (?; 277), Economical \E`co*nom"ic*al\, a.
[F. ['e]conomique, L. oeconomicus orderly, methodical, Gr. ?
economical. See Economy.]
1. Pertaining to the household; domestic. "In this economical
misfortune [of ill-assorted matrimony.]" --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
2. Relating to domestic economy, or to the management of
household affairs.
[1913 Webster]
And doth employ her economic art
And busy care, her household to preserve. --Sir J.
Davies.
[1913 Webster]
3. Managing with frugality; guarding against waste or
unnecessary expense; careful and frugal in management and
in expenditure; -- said of character or habits.
[1913 Webster]
Just rich enough, with economic care,
To save a pittance. --Harte.
[1913 Webster]
4. Managed with frugality; not marked with waste or
extravagance; using the minimum of time or effort or
resources required for effectiveness; frugal; -- said of
acts; saving; as, an economical use of money or of time;
an economic use of home heating oil. [WordNet sense 3]
[1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
5. of or pertaining to the national or regional economy;
relating to political economy; relating to the means of
living, or the resources and wealth of a country; relating
to the production or consumption of goods and services of
a nation or region; as, economic growth; economic
purposes; economical truths; an economic downturn.
[1913 Webster]
These matters economical and political. --J. C.
Shairp.
[1913 Webster]
There was no economical distress in England to
prompt the enterprises of colonization. --Palfrey.
[1913 Webster]
Economic questions, such as money, usury, taxes,
lands, and the employment of the people. --H. C.
Baird.
[1913 Webster]
6. Regulative; relating to the adaptation of means to an end.
--Grew.
[1913 Webster]
7. of or pertaining to economics. economic theory
[WordNet 1.5]
8. profitable. Opposite of uneconomic. [WordNet sense 4]
[WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
9. avoiding waste; as, an economical meal. Opposite of
wasteful.
Syn: frugal, scotch, sparing, stinting, thrifty.
[WordNet 1.5]
Note: Economical is the usual form when meaning frugal,
saving; economic is the form commonly used when meaning
pertaining to the management of a household, or of
public affairs.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
economic
adj 1: of or relating to an economy, the system of production
and management of material wealth; "economic growth";
"aspects of social, political, and economical life" [syn:
economic, economical]
2: of or relating to the science of economics; "economic theory"
3: using the minimum of time or resources necessary for
effectiveness; "an economic use of home heating oil"; "a
modern economical heating system"; "an economical use of her
time" [syn: economic, economical]
4: concerned with worldly necessities of life (especially
money); "he wrote the book primarily for economic reasons";
"gave up the large house for economic reasons"; "in economic
terms they are very privileged"
5: financially rewarding; "it was no longer economic to keep the
factory open"; "have to keep prices high enough to make it
economic to continue the service"
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
57 Moby Thesaurus words for "economic":
Scotch, budget, budgetary, canny, careful, chary, cheap,
cheeseparing, commercial, conserving, easy, economizing, economy,
financial, fiscal, forehanded, frugal, inexpensive, labor-saving,
low, low-priced, manageable, mercantile, moderate, modest,
monetary, money-saving, nominal, parsimonious, pecuniary,
penny-wise, politico-economic, productive, profitable, provident,
prudent, prudential, reasonable, remunerative, saving, scrimping,
sensible, shabby, shoddy, skimping, socio-economic, solvent, spare,
sparing, thrifty, time-saving, token, trade, unexpensive,
unwasteful, within means, worth the money