Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FRU'GAL, a. [L. frugalis; Fr. and Sp. frugal; said to be from fruges, corn, grain of any kind. Most probably it is from the root of fruor, for frugor, to use, to take the profit of, which coincides in elements and sense with G. brauchen, Sax. brucan. See Fruit.]

Economical in the use or appropriation of money, goods or provisions of any kind; saving unnecessary expense, either of money or of any thing else which is to be used or consumed; sparing; not profuse, prodigal or lavish. We ought to be frugal not only in the expenditure of money and of goods, but in the employment of time. It is followed by of, before the thing saved; as, frugal of time. It is not synonymous with parsimonious, nor with thrifty, as now used.