Word of the Day
: April 13, 2008paucity
play
            noun
            
            PAW-suh-tee
            
          
          
    
    
    
          
          
          
        What It Means
1 : smallness of number : fewness
2 : smallness of quantity : dearth
paucity in Context
The manager overheard two customers complaining about the paucity of stylish designs in the store.
Did You Know?
"Paucity," which was first recorded in English in the 15th century, comes to us from the Middle English word "paucite," and is ultimately derived from "paucus," Latin for "little." It is not surprising, then, that "paucity" came to refer to a "littleness" of numbers (as in "a paucity of facts or studies") or quantity ("a paucity of evidence"). One can even use paucity when speaking of abstract concepts, as in "a paucity of experience or knowledge."
More Words of the Day
- 
                    Oct 31hobgoblin
- 
                    Oct 30truculent
- 
                    Oct 29deliquesce
- 
                    Oct 28menagerie
- 
                    Oct 27acerbic
- 
                    Oct 26cognoscente
Love words? Need even more definitions?
  
  Merriam-Webster unabridged











