Added 9 October 2026
spare
/spɛə(ɹ)/ adjective
In Latin: subsicīvus Wiktionary
adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about spare at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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Extra. Being more than what is necessary, or what must be used or reserved; not wanted, or not used; superfluous.
I have no spare time.
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Being more than what is necessary, or what must be used or reserved; not wanted, or not used; superfluous.
I have no spare time.
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Held in reserve, to be used in an emergency.
a spare anchor; a spare wheel or tyre
noun
verb
- To show mercy, to have mercy on. To desist; to stop; to refrain. To refrain from inflicting harm; to use mercy or forbearance. To preserve (someone) from danger or punishment; to forbear to punish, injure, or harm (someone); to show mercy towards. To refrain from killing (someone) or having (someone) killed.
- To desist; to stop; to refrain.
- To refrain from inflicting harm; to use mercy or forbearance.
Origin
From Middle English spare, spar, from Old English spær (“sparing, scant”), from Proto-Germanic *sparaz, from Proto-Indo-European *sph₁rós, from the root *speh₁-. Compare Dutch spaar(zaam), German spar(sam) and spär(lich), Swedish spar(sam), Icelandic sparr (“sparing”); also Latin (pro)sperus (“lucky”), Old Church Slavonic споръ (sporŭ, “plentiful”), Albanian shperr (“earn money”), Persian سپار (sepâr, “entrust; deposit”), Ancient Greek σπαρνός (sparnós, “rare”), Sanskrit स्फिर (sphirá, “thick”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)