- economy
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/i kon"euh mee/, n., pl. economies, adj., adv.n.1. thrifty management; frugality in the expenditure or consumption of money, materials, etc.2. an act or means of thrifty saving; a saving: He achieved a small economy by walking to work instead of taking a bus.3. the management of the resources of a community, country, etc., esp. with a view to its productivity.4. the prosperity or earnings of a place: Further inflation would endanger the national economy seriously.5. the disposition or regulation of the parts or functions of any organic whole; an organized system or method.6. the efficient, sparing, or concise use of something: an economy of effort; an economy of movement.7. See economy class.8. Theol.a. the divine plan for humanity, from creation through redemption to final beatitude.b. the method of divine administration, as at a particular time or for a particular race.9. Obs. the management of household affairs.adj.10. intended to save money: to reduce the staff in an economy move.11. costing less to make, buy, or operate: an economy car.12. of or pertaining to economy class: the economy fare to San Francisco.adv.13. in economy-class accommodations, or by economy-class conveyance: to travel economy.[1520-30; ( < MF economie) < L oeconomia < Gk oikonomía household management, equiv. to oîko(s) house + -nomia -NOMY]Syn. 1. thriftiness, thrift, saving.Ant. 1. lavishness, extravagance, wastefulness.
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(as used in expressions)free market economy* * *
Universalium. 2010.
