# prodigal

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈpɹɒdɪɡəl/ · frequency rank #32,135

## Definitions
1. Wastefully extravagant.
2. Yielding profusely, lavish.
3. Profuse, lavishly abundant.
4. Behaving as a prodigal son:
5. Behaving as a prodigal son:

## Etymology
From Middle French prodigal, from Late Latin prōdigālis (“wasteful”), from Latin prōdigus (“wasteful, lavish, prodigal”), from prōdigō (“to consume, squander, drive forth”), from prōd- [from prō (“before, forward”)] + agō (“to drive”). Also see prodigy.

## Easily confused with
- **prodigy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prodigal-vs-prodigy)
- **proximal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prodigal-vs-proximal)

## Common misspellings (12)
`pordigal`, `pprodigal`, `prdoigal`, `proddigal`, `prodgial`, `prodiagl`, `prodigall`, `prodiggal`, `prodigla`, `proidgal`, `prrodigal`, `rpodigal`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/prodigal