adjectivemasculinepl: mesquinhos (masculine plural) / mesquinhas (feminine plural)
stingy, petty, mean-spirited, miserly
1. unwilling to spend money or give generously; miserly
He was too mesquinho to buy his friend a coffee.
Ele era muito mesquinho para comprar um café para seu amigo.
2. characterized by pettiness or lack of generosity in spirit
Her mesquinho attitude towards sharing made her unpopular.
Sua atitude mesquinha em relação a compartilhar a tornou impopular.
3. small, insignificant, or trivial
The mesquinho details of the contract were often overlooked.
Os detalhes mesquinhos do contrato eram frequentemente ignorados.
In Brazilian Portuguese culture, calling someone 'mesquinho' is a mild to moderate insult, implying not just financial stinginess but also a small-minded or petty character. It's commonly used in colloquial speech to criticize someone's lack of generosity or nobility of spirit. The word reflects Brazilian values that tend to appreciate generosity and openness.
NYC Slang
cheap, stingy, penny-pinching
Related Idioms & Phrases
ser mesquinho com alguém - to be stingy with someone
mesquinharia - petty stinginess or trivial behavior
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →