cheap en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈt͡ʃiːp/
- (UK) audio
- [ˈt͡ʃʰɪi̯p]
Etymology
As a noun, from Middle English chep, from Old English cēap (“trade, market, value”), from Proto-West Germanic *kaup. As a verb, from Middle English chepen, from Old English ċēapian (“to buy, bargain, trade”), from Proto-West Germanic *kaupōn, from Proto-Germanic *kaupōną, a verbal derivative of *kaupô (“trader”), from Latin caupō. The adjective originated as a shortening of Middle and Early Modern English good cheap, literally “good purchase” (as in “that was good cheap”, i.e. “that was [a] good purchase”). Compare Dutch goedkoop, French bon marché. Cognates Cognate with Scots chepe (“to sell”), chape (“sale price”), North Frisian keap (“purchase”), West Frisian keap (“purchase, buy, acquisition”), Dutch koop (“buy, purchase, deal”), kopen (“to buy, purchase, shop”), Low German kopen (“to buy”), German Kauf (“trade, traffic, bargain, purchase, buy”), kaufen (“to buy”), Swedish köp (“bargain, purchase”), köpa (“to buy, purchase”), Norwegian Nynorsk kjøpa (“to buy, purchase”), Icelandic kaup (“purchase, bargain”), kaupa (“to purchase”); also borrowed as Finnish kauppa (“shop, trade”), Russian купить (kupitʹ, “to purchase”), Old Church Slavonic коупити (kupiti, “to purchase”), Bulgarian ку́пя (kúpja, “to purchase”), Serbo-Croatian купити (“to purchase”), Czech koupit (“to purchase”), Polish kupić (“to purchase”).
Meanings
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Low or reduced in price.
One saint's day in mid-term a certain newly appointed suffragan-bishop came to the school chapel, and there preached on “The Inner Life.” He at once secured attention by his informal method, and when presently the coughing of Jarvis […] interrupted the sermon, he altogether captivated his audience with a remark about cough lozenges being cheap and easily procurable.
1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter III, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:Datacasting bypasses the wired, terrestrial Internet and is a cheaper way to distribute software than pressing and mailing CDs.
2000, George Abe, Residential Broadband, Cisco Systems, →ISBN:The cheapest antiager around: a good moisturizer.
2008, Amy Wechsler, The Mind-Beauty Connection, page 31:Such [rural solar plant] schemes are of little help to industry or other heavy users of electricity. Nor is solar power yet as cheap as the grid. For all that, the rapid arrival of electric light to Indian villages is long overdue. When the national grid suffers its next huge outage, as it did in July 2012 when hundreds of millions were left in the dark, look for specks of light in the villages.
2013 July 20, “Out of the gloom”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845, archived from the original on 12 Mar 2023:Where there are many sellers and few purchases, land will be cheap.
1691, [John Locke], Some Considerations of the Consequences of the Lowering of Interest, and Raising the Value of Money. […], London: […] Awnsham and John Churchill, […], published 1692, →OCLC:McDonald’s has been vocal about adding more chicken to its menu, which is generally cheaper than beef.
2024 October 3, Jordan Valinsky, “McDonald’s is finally selling the Chicken Big Mac in the US”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 10 Feb 2025:
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Of poor quality.
a writer of cheap romances
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Of little worth.
You grow cheap in every subject's eye.
1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1676, →OCLC, (please specify the page number):
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(of an action or tactic in a game of skill, slang) Underhanded or unfair.
the cheap trick of hiding deadly lava under pushable blocks
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(derogatory, informal) Stingy; mean; excessively frugal.
Insurance is expensive, but don't be so cheap that you risk losing your home because of a fire.
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Trading at a price level which is low relative to historical trends, a similar asset, or (for derivatives) a theoretical value.
The ETF is trading cheap to NAV right now; we can arb this by buying the ETF and selling the underlying constituents.
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Taking little of system time or resources.
the algorithm is cheap to compute
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| cheaper | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| ch3ap | alternative | lexicographic | |
| chap | alternative, dialectal | lexicographic | |
| chop | alternative, dialectal | lexicographic | |
| cheapest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
dear · costly · spenno · big-ticket · costful · overvalued · 5-star · ex · chargeful · overdear · precious · high-priced · invaluable · ruinous · dearthful · princely · cheap at half the price · expensive · fancy · costly · high-cost · exy · expensive · dispendious · cost-prohibitive · spenny · expensive · spendy · steep · splurgy · priceless · dear · affordable · rich · expenny · overpriced · million-dollar · out of sight · valuable · pricey · pricey · lickpenny
Coordinates
crude · utilitarian · mean · simple · rude · basic · primitive · unadorned · valueless · naive · worthless · rough
Deriveds
cheap-arse Tuesday · dirt-cheap · cheap at half the price · cheap shot · fold like a cheap tent · cheaply · cheap trick · cheapness · cheapquel · cheap and cheerful · cheap as chips · ultracheap · cheapen · cheapie · on the cheap · Chapman · for cheap · dirt cheap · play to the cheap seats · fold like a cheap suitcase · cheap and nasty · supercheap · cheapster · cheap tripper · cheap-skate · cheap fake · lie like a cheap watch · cheap thrill · talk is cheap · cheapshit · fold like a cheap suit · cheapskate · hold cheap · go cheap · el cheapo · cheapish · cheap drunk · cheap John · cheapstead · cheap at the price · cheapoid · all over one like a cheap suit · cheap-shot · cheapass · cheapjack · cheap as borscht · cheap Charlie · cheap like borscht · play it cheap · cheapo · dog-cheap · cheap date · for the cheap seats · cheap skate · lie like a cheap rug · cheap seats
Descendants
ċip · chipa · kjip · -chipa · cheap · ചീപ്പ് · tsipipay · チープ · kip · tshiphu · chipipay · kjip · xepa
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
cheap like borscht · ultracheap · dog-cheap · cheapish · underpriced · supercheap · cheap as chips · tuppenny-ha'penny · cheapshit · cheap and nasty · downmarket · overcheap · coffee-and · undervalued · cheap and cheerful · dirt cheap · bottom-shelf · jitney
Relateds
econo- · bargain · cheap thing · Wish.com · value · worthless · low-quality · value for money · Poundland · good value · Tesco Value · economy · dollar-store · attainable · discount
Synonyms
woeful · inexpensive · poor man's · brand X · cheesy · cheapo · economical · economic · bargainous · substandard · trash · unexpensive · drecky · dime a dozen · one-star · craptacular · below par · shit · low-rent · wretched · sad · punk · slim · craptabulous · crappo · undervalued · naughty · mid · base · scrubby · bum · tinhorn · good value · competitive · low-priced · unvaluable · rubbish · slight · low · cheap and nasty · cruddy · low-quality · schlocky · shite · pathetic · god-awful · el cheapo · crap · tenth-rate · cheap · shoddy · crappy · trashy · shitty · inferior · slazy · crapperific · low-cost · affordable · bad · cheapshit · bargain · ticky-tacky · cheap · ass · underpriced · two a penny · craptastic · flimsy · shoddy · tin-pot · fourth-rate · bottom-shelf · rinky-dink · cheesy · dogwater · crummy · low-end · low-grade · sixpenny · pound-shop · inexpensive · ropy · lousy · nickel · BTEC · gash · made in China · third-rate · coffee-and · garbage · chintzy · under par · subpar · low-quality · cheapie · budget · poor · second-rate
Translations (313)
tr ucuz (low and/or reduced in price) · kmr erzan (low and/or reduced in price) · hsb tuni (low and/or reduced in price) · ro ieftin (low and/or reduced in price) · hu ócska (of poor quality) · fi kitsas (frugal, stingy) · hu olcsó (of little worth) · rm bunmartgea (low and/or reduced in price) · mk поевтинет (low and/or reduced in price) · ur سستا (low and/or reduced in price) · te స్వల్ప లాభం (of little worth) · la vīlis (of poor quality) · tl mura (low and/or reduced in price) · ti ሕሱር (low and/or reduced in price) · dng пянйи (low and/or reduced in price) · ta தரம் குறைந்த (of poor quality) · sa न्यूनमूल्य (low and/or reduced in price) · ru прижи́мистый (frugal, stingy) · cmn 賤 /贱 (low and/or reduced in price) · eu merke (low and/or reduced in price) · wuu 𠼢 (low and/or reduced in price) · fr peu cher (low and/or reduced in price) · dng җян (low and/or reduced in price) · cy tsiêp (low and/or reduced in price) · nl betaalbaar (low and/or reduced in price) · ckb ھەرزان (low and/or reduced in price) · sa अल्पमूल्य (low and/or reduced in price) · gl rebaixado (low and/or reduced in price) · rm bunmarcho (low and/or reduced in price) · ccc warato (low and/or reduced in price) · fr modique (of little worth) · izh hootava (low and/or reduced in price) · fi itara (frugal, stingy) · am እርካሽ (low and/or reduced in price) · es corriente (of poor quality) · is ódýr (low and/or reduced in price) · he זוֹל (low and/or reduced in price) · lv lēts (of poor quality) · sk lacný (low and/or reduced in price) · fr radin (frugal, stingy) · rm bienmarcau (low and/or reduced in price) · io chipa (low and/or reduced in price) · ckb بێقیمەت (of little worth) · fr bon marché (low and/or reduced in price) · pt barato (low and/or reduced in price) · fa ارزان (low and/or reduced in price) · fr à deux balles (of poor quality) · te తగ్గింపు ధర (low and/or reduced in price) · nl in aanbieding (low and/or reduced in price) · hy էժան (low and/or reduced in price) · ja 安っぽい (of poor quality) · la vīlis (low and/or reduced in price) · vi rẻ (low and/or reduced in price) · ne सस्तो (low and/or reduced in price) · sl cenen (of poor quality) · mk неквалите́тен (of poor quality) · it a buon mercato (low and/or reduced in price) · ru скупо́й (frugal, stingy) · eu merke (of poor quality) · es purrio (of poor quality) · mk евтин (of little worth) · ny yotchipa (low and/or reduced in price) · la vīlis (of little worth) · mi ngāwari (low and/or reduced in price) · fi pihi (frugal, stingy) · ru низкопро́бный (of poor quality) · id murah (low and/or reduced in price) · zza erzan (diq) (low and/or reduced in price) · az ucuz (low and/or reduced in price) · bg е́втин (slang: underhand or unfair in game) · fi arvoton (of little worth) · ko 싼 (low and/or reduced in price) · ru дешёвый (of little worth) · nl goedkoop (of little worth) · et odav (low and/or reduced in price) · wuu 便宜 (low and/or reduced in price) · mk намален (low and/or reduced in price) · arz رخيص (low and/or reduced in price) · sh jeftin (of poor quality) · lv lēts (low and/or reduced in price) · hi सस्ता (low and/or reduced in price) · cmn 低級的 /低级的 (of poor quality) · da billig (low and/or reduced in price) · nb billig (low and/or reduced in price) · ky арзан (low and/or reduced in price) · es barato (low and/or reduced in price) · es barato (of poor quality) · gv neuphriosoil (low and/or reduced in price) · sv billig (low and/or reduced in price) · fi raukkamainen (slang: underhand or unfair in game) · ty māmā (low and/or reduced in price) · tr cimri (frugal, stingy) · hy էժանագին (of little worth) · ug ئەرزان (low and/or reduced in price) · bg долнока́чествен (of poor quality) · fa مفت (low and/or reduced in price) · sn -chipa (low and/or reduced in price) · ru дешёвый (low and/or reduced in price) · es chanta (of poor quality) · ckb توڕەھات (of poor quality) · rm bùnmartgieu (low and/or reduced in price) · ar رَخِيص (low and/or reduced in price) · sl poceni (low and/or reduced in price) · th ถูก (low and/or reduced in price) · el φτηνός (low and/or reduced in price) · cs levný (low and/or reduced in price) · mk евтин (slang: underhand or unfair in game) · rue тунї (low and/or reduced in price) · pl niedrogi (low and/or reduced in price) · ru недорого́й (low and/or reduced in price) · lt pigus (low and/or reduced in price) · tr kıytırık (of poor quality) · eo malmultekosta (low and/or reduced in price) · pt reles (of little worth) · sv billig (of poor quality) · ja 安物の (of poor quality) · hu olcsó (low and/or reduced in price) · gu સસ્તું (low and/or reduced in price) · bg е́втин (low and/or reduced in price) · es chimbo (of poor quality) · kkh ᨳᩪᨠ (low and/or reduced in price) · nl ordinair (of poor quality) · za cienh (low and/or reduced in price) · ce дораха (low and/or reduced in price) · ary رْخيص (low and/or reduced in price) · de billig (of poor quality) · fi vähäarvoinen (of little worth) · sv billig (slang: underhand or unfair in game) · cmn 價廉的 /价廉的 (of little worth) · hi निम्नगुणवत्ता (of poor quality) · ceb barato (low and/or reduced in price) · my သက်သာ (low and/or reduced in price) · ms murah (low and/or reduced in price) · nl goedkoop (low and/or reduced in price) · bo ཁེ་པོ (low and/or reduced in price) · mk евтин (low and/or reduced in price) · mr स्वस्त (low and/or reduced in price) · el φτηνός (of little worth) · rm bunmarchà (low and/or reduced in price) · tr adi (of poor quality) · sh jȅftin (low and/or reduced in price) · id murahan (of poor quality) · pt barato (of poor quality) · zza ercon (low and/or reduced in price) · hu olcsó (of poor quality) · tt арзан (low and/or reduced in price) · ps ارزان (of poor quality) · tr ucuz (of little worth) · sh јефтин (of little worth) · nan-hbl 俗 (low and/or reduced in price) · zza çıkos (frugal, stingy) · grc εὐθηνός (low and/or reduced in price) · ur ارزاں (low and/or reduced in price) · am ርካሽ (low and/or reduced in price) · yo pọ̀ (low and/or reduced in price) · yi ביליק (low and/or reduced in price) · cmn 卑鄙 (slang: underhand or unfair in game) · ja チープ (of poor quality) · tsg maluhay (low and/or reduced in price) · yo pọ́ọ́kú (low and/or reduced in price) · cy rhad (low and/or reduced in price) · jje 싸다 (low and/or reduced in price) · ca barat (of poor quality) · shn ပေႃး (low and/or reduced in price) · pl tandetny (of poor quality) · ga saor (low and/or reduced in price) · te చౌక (low and/or reduced in price) · zza arzan (low and/or reduced in price) · hi कंजूस (frugal, stingy) · sh jeftin (of little worth) · vo nejerik (low and/or reduced in price) · ilo barato (low and/or reduced in price) · rm bunmartgà (low and/or reduced in price) · rar māmā (low and/or reduced in price) · shn ထုၵ်ႇ (low and/or reduced in price) · si බාල (low and/or reduced in price) · tg арзон (low and/or reduced in price) · cv йӳнӗ (low and/or reduced in price) · pl tandetny (of little worth) · es chafa (of poor quality) · dsb tuni (low and/or reduced in price) · it economico (low and/or reduced in price) · wa bonmartchî (low and/or reduced in price) · eo ĉipa (low and/or reduced in price) · nl onduur (low and/or reduced in price) · sl cenen (of little worth) · pt barateado (low and/or reduced in price) · fi halpa (finance: trading at a low price level) · mn хямд төсөр (low and/or reduced in price) · tk arzan (low and/or reduced in price) · it scadente (of poor quality) · gu સોંઘું (low and/or reduced in price) · yue 平 (low and/or reduced in price) · hu értéktelen (of little worth) · hy էժանագին (of poor quality) · ja 安価 (low and/or reduced in price) · fi huonolaatuinen (of poor quality) · cmn 便宜 (low and/or reduced in price) · fr pas cher (low and/or reduced in price) · ru ска́редный (frugal, stingy) · war barato (low and/or reduced in price) · gl barato (low and/or reduced in price) · it poco costoso (low and/or reduced in price) · fi kehno (of poor quality) · gl barateiro (low and/or reduced in price) · lt pigi (low and/or reduced in price) · ru нека́чественный (of poor quality) · tr uyuz (of poor quality) · bg намале́н (low and/or reduced in price) · sh неквалитетан (of poor quality) · ru низкока́чественный (of poor quality) · mt rħis (low and/or reduced in price) · fr économique (low and/or reduced in price) · rsk тунї (low and/or reduced in price) · mk снижен (low and/or reduced in price) · ba арзан (low and/or reduced in price) · ka იაფფასიანი (low and/or reduced in price) · es deterior (of poor quality) · nl goedkoop (of poor quality) · sv billig (of little worth) · fi halpa (of poor quality) · my ပေါ (low and/or reduced in price) · nn billeg (low and/or reduced in price) · de billig (low and/or reduced in price) · pl tani (low and/or reduced in price) · nrf bouôn marchi (low and/or reduced in price) · el φτηνός (of poor quality) · grc εὐτελής (of poor quality) · haw emi (low and/or reduced in price) · ast baratu (low and/or reduced in price) · oc economic (low and/or reduced in price) · grc εὐτελής (low and/or reduced in price) · ko 싸다 (low and/or reduced in price) · de preisgünstig (low and/or reduced in price) · ang undīere (of little worth) · kw a brys ysel (low and/or reduced in price) · lo ຖືກ (low and/or reduced in price) · da billig (slang: underhand or unfair in game) · blt ꪖꪴꪀ (low and/or reduced in price) · ps ارزان (low and/or reduced in price) · kea baratu (low and/or reduced in price) · it scadente (of little worth) · fi halpa (low and/or reduced in price) · be та́нны (low and/or reduced in price) · fr séraphin (frugal, stingy) · sw rahisi (low and/or reduced in price) · be дзяшо́вы (low and/or reduced in price) · te తక్కువ రకం (of poor quality) · xqa اُجُزْ (low and/or reduced in price) · km ថោក (low and/or reduced in price) · da billig (of little worth) · af goedkoop (low and/or reduced in price) · fi halpamainen (slang: underhand or unfair in game) · ota اوجوز (low and/or reduced in price) · he זולה (low and/or reduced in price) · ang undīere (low and/or reduced in price) · ta மலிவான (low and/or reduced in price) · ja 安い (low and/or reduced in price) · za bienzngeiz (low and/or reduced in price) · uk деше́вий (low and/or reduced in price) · tr ucuz (of poor quality) · uz arzon (low and/or reduced in price) · si ලාභ (low and/or reduced in price) · grc εὔωνος (low and/or reduced in price) · ja 激安 (low and/or reduced in price) · ne सुलभ (low and/or reduced in price) · ba осһоҙ (low and/or reduced in price) · es económico (low and/or reduced in price) · so jaban (low and/or reduced in price) · pl tani (slang: underhand or unfair in game) · sq i lirë (low and/or reduced in price) · zza ercan (diq) (low and/or reduced in price) · de preiswert (low and/or reduced in price) · yue 渣 (of poor quality) · sh nekvalitetan (of poor quality) · fi huono (of poor quality) · ca barat (low and/or reduced in price) · zza erzan (diq) (low and/or reduced in price) · dsb pśigódny (low and/or reduced in price) · fo bíligur (low and/or reduced in price) · lv lēts (of little worth) · zza erzan (diq) (of little worth) · mi māmā (low and/or reduced in price) · pt vil (of little worth) · nl schamel (of little worth) · nl laagwaardig (of poor quality) · yue 鮓 /鲊 (of poor quality) · orv дешевъ (low and/or reduced in price) · kk арзан (low and/or reduced in price) · mk евтин (of poor quality) · nl gierig (frugal, stingy) · yo olówó-pọ́ọ́kú (low and/or reduced in price) · kea baróte (low and/or reduced in price) · lb bëlleg (low and/or reduced in price) · sh јефтин (of poor quality) · hak 便宜 (low and/or reduced in price) · ang undīere (of poor quality) · bn সস্তা (low and/or reduced in price) · nl waardeloos (of little worth) · tdd ᥙᥨᥰ (low and/or reduced in price) · nl afgeprijsd (low and/or reduced in price) · inh доарах (low and/or reduced in price) · nn billig (low and/or reduced in price) · bg е́втин (of little worth) · my ဈေးချို (low and/or reduced in price) · da tarvelig (of poor quality) · nrf bouan marchi (low and/or reduced in price) · khb ᦏᦳᧅᧈ (low and/or reduced in price) · fr au rabais (of poor quality) · sv nedsatt (low and/or reduced in price) · sh је̏фтин (low and/or reduced in price) · tr adi (of little worth) · de geizig (frugal, stingy)