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

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

Several young goalkeepers had been bought by Premier League clubs the previous summer, leaving Newcastle feeling there was a paucity of options, though Hornicek’s all-round attributes caught the attention of Ross Wilson, their sporting director. — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Despite their popularity, there remains a paucity of human clinical evidence to support their safety and efficacy. — Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

And there’s a challenge in writing about Musk and South Africa, because of basically a paucity of sources. — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 3 July 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