paucity

noun

pau·​ci·​ty ˈpȯ-sə-tē 

1

: smallness of number : fewness

2

: smallness of quantity : dearth

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Learn a Little About Paucity

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."

Synonyms of paucity

• shortage
• lack

Examples of paucity in a Sentence

If you had one of those Yugoslav names with a paucity of vowels, you might sprinkle in a few … —Calvin Trillin, Time, 22 May 2000

For my part, I find increasingly that I miss the simplicity, the almost willful paucity, of the English way of doing things. —Bill Bryson, I'm a Stranger Here Myself, 1999

This relative paucity of freeloaders and deadbeats means that rookie Americans, as a group, more than pay their way. —Jaclyn Fierman, Fortune, 9 Aug. 1993

a paucity of useful answers to the problem of traffic congestion at rush hour

Recent Examples on the Web

That working class people live with paucity of choice, and of chances, may be considered from the outside as a moral and social ill to be reckoned with, but Betty correctly sees that this is the fact of her life and behaves and thinks accordingly. — Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026

The drummer said she was distressed by the paucity of water stations available, and feared the triple-digit heat was a risk for fans. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Research shows that the paucity of surgeons is likely to increase during the coming years. — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 2026

But some of the artists who did take the stage to play their current singles on Sunday did see some surges in streaming interest following the VMAs, perhaps standing out even more due to the relative paucity of performers. — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English paucite, from Latin paucitat-, paucitas, from paucus little — more at few

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for paucity

• animosity
• curiosity
• generosity
• grandiosity
• nebulosity
• reciprocity
• tortuosity
• tuberosity
• virtuosity
• atrocity
• ferocity
• monstrosity

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Kids Definition

paucity

noun

pau·​ci·​ty ˈpȯ-sət-ē 

: smallness of number or quantity : scarcity

a paucity of experience