Plural of 'cheapskate'; people who are unwilling to spend money and always try to pay as little as possible.
From 'cheap' (inexpensive, or of low quality) and 'skate' (a contemptible person). The compound emerged in American English in the late 1800s, combining an adjective with a slang insult.
The word 'cheapskate' brilliantly combines moral judgment with frugality—it's not just about being thrifty, but being stingy and miserly in a way that embarrasses you socially, making it a genuinely creative insult.
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