piggy bank: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1informal
Quick answer
What does “piggy bank” mean?
A small container, often shaped like a pig, used by children to save coins.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small container, often shaped like a pig, used by children to save coins.
Any small, informal savings container; metaphorically, a place or fund where money is saved gradually.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is identical in both varieties. The concept is culturally identical.
Connotations
Equally strong connotations of childhood, thrift, and small-scale saving in both cultures.
Frequency
Equally common in both UK and US English.
Grammar
How to Use “piggy bank” in a Sentence
put coins in a piggy banksave money in a piggy banktake money from a piggy bankVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “piggy bank” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- I need to piggy-bank some money for the holidays.
- She's been piggy-banking her spare change for years.
American English
- Let's piggy-bank our extra cash for the new game.
- He piggy-banked enough to buy a bike.
adverb
British English
- She saves money piggy-bank style, coin by coin.
- They are building their funds piggy-bank slowly.
American English
- He invests piggy-bank, with small, regular amounts.
- We funded the trip piggy-bank, over many months.
adjective
British English
- He has a piggy-bank mentality about small savings.
- It was a piggy-bank sort of fund, not a proper account.
American English
- We set up a piggy-bank account for the kids.
- Her savings plan is very piggy-bank in nature.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used in formal business contexts except metaphorically ('the project's piggy bank is empty').
Academic
Used in developmental psychology or economic education literature concerning children.
Everyday
Common in family and personal finance discussions, especially with children.
Technical
Not a technical term in finance.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “piggy bank”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “piggy bank”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “piggy bank”
- Using 'pig bank' (missing the 'gy').
- Using it to refer to a formal bank account.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The name comes from the traditional shape of the savings container, which is often a pig. The origin is unclear but may relate to the historical use of 'pygg' clay for jars, which later became associated with the animal.
While strongly associated with children, the term can be used metaphorically for any small, informal savings fund used by adults.
Informally, yes. To 'piggy-bank' means to save money in a small, gradual way, though this is not a standard dictionary entry.
A piggy bank is a physical, informal container for coins, usually kept at home. A savings account is a formal arrangement with a bank or financial institution that can hold any amount of money and may earn interest.
A small container, often shaped like a pig, used by children to save coins.
Piggy bank is usually informal in register.
Piggy bank: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpɪɡi ˌbæŋk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpɪɡi ˌbæŋk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “break the piggy bank (to spend one's savings)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
PIGGY BANK: Picture a pink pig (PIGGY) with a slot in its back where you BANK your coins.
Conceptual Metaphor
SAVING IS STORING (IN A CONTAINER); THRIFT IS CHILDLIKE INNOCENCE.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary cultural function of a piggy bank?