modicum

noun

mo·​di·​cum ˈmä-di-kəm 

also ˈmō-

: a small portion : a limited quantity

had only a modicum of mathematical skills

Did you know?

The Origins of Modicum Can Be Found in the Bathroom

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the English language has more than a modicum of words referring to a small amount of something—it has oodles, from smidgen to soupçon. But while modicum can be applied to countable or physical things (like words or salt) it is almost always applied instead to abstract concepts like respect, success, control, hope, dignity, or privacy. Modicum traces back to the Latin noun modus, meaning “measure,” which just so happens to be the ancestor of more than a modicum of English words, from moderate and modify to mold and commode.

Synonyms of modicum

• damn
• whit
• lick
• shred
• hoot

Examples of modicum in a Sentence

only a modicum of skill is necessary to put the kit together

Recent Examples on the Web

Any modicum of wiggle room is gone. —Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 13 May 2026

The expectation of even a modicum of diversity within the halls of government could disappear quickly. —Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026

In any case, being the last person on the email chain can return a modicum of dignity and control for job seekers after a rejection. —Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026

Another entry in our recent deluge of ironic gorefests, Over Your Dead Body doesn’t really give us anything new, although for its first half at least, the picture gets by on some verve and a modicum of intelligence. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin, neuter of modicus moderate, from modus measure

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

modicum

noun

mo·​di·​cum ˈmäd-i-kəm 

ˈmōd-

: a small amount

anyone with a modicum of intelligence would understand