An avaricious, churlish fellow; a miser. In explaining this word, Dr. Ash made a ludicrous mistake, from his ignorance of the French language. He took the word from Johnson, who derives it from cœur-méchant, and who gives as his authority an "unknown correspondet." As these words immediately followed the French, Dr. Ash supposed them to be the English of cœur-mé chant, and accordingly says, "Curmudgeon, from the French cœur, unknown, and mérchant, correspondent."
A man's way of living is commended, because he will give any rate for it; and a man will give any rate, rather than pass for a poor wretch, or a penurious curmudgeon.--Locke.