Word of the Day
: December 23, 2021paucity
play
noun
PAW-suh-tee
What It Means
Paucity implies smallness of number or quantity.
// There was a paucity of detail in the report.
paucity in Context
"... sparse transit service and a paucity of bicycle lanes often leave automobiles as the only, not necessarily the preferred, transportation option." — David Zipper, The Daily Herald (Everett, Washington), 25 Oct. 2021
Did You Know?
Paucity refers to "littleness" in numbers (as in "a paucity of facts") or quantity ("a paucity of common sense"). The word comes from paucus, Latin for "little."
Test Your Vocabulary with M-W Quizzes
Quiz
Fill in the blanks to complete an adjective meaning "plentiful in number": c _ pi _ _ s.
VIEW THE ANSWERMore Words of the Day
-
Apr 19
underwhelm
-
Apr 18
qua
-
Apr 17
circumlocution
-
Apr 16
inalienable
-
Apr 15
purloin
-
Apr 14
furlong
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
