A cheap or inexpensive item, often low-quality; also used informally to describe something that costs very little.
Cheap plus -ie, a diminutive or informal suffix. This casual formation reflects the colloquial, slangy nature of the word—it's how informal speech forms new nouns.
Words with -ie and -y suffixes tend to sound more casual and friendly—'cheapie' sounds less judgmental than 'cheap item,' which shows how suffix choice affects tone and attitude in language.
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