Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Language: Latin
Origin: prodigus, from prodigere 'to drive away, use wastefully'

prodigal

1 adjective
     
prod‧i‧gal1 [usually before noun] formal
1

prodigal son/daughter

someone who leaves their family and home without the approval of their family, but who is sorry later and returns
2 spending money, wasting time etc in a careless way [= extravagant]:
a prodigal lifestyle
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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