Profligate

Profligate is an adjective used to describe someone or something that is recklessly extravagant or wasteful. It implies a lack of care for resources, whether they be financial, material, or even time. A profligate spender might squander their inheritance on frivolous purchases, while a profligate society might exploit its natural resources without regard for future consequences. The term can also be applied to behavior considered unrestrained or dissolute, suggesting a departure from moral or conventional standards.

The etymology of profligate traces back to the Latin word "profligare," meaning to cast down or overthrow. This connection hints at the idea of a forceful and often destructive expenditure or behavior that leads to ruin or depletion. Someone described as profligate is not simply generous; they are characterized by an excessive and often irresponsible outflow.

Synonyms for profligate include extravagant, wasteful, spendthrift, prodigal, and dissipated. While these terms share common ground, profligate often carries a stronger connotation of recklessness and a potential for negative repercussions. It suggests a willful disregard for prudence and a tendency towards excess that can ultimately be detrimental to the individual or entity involved.