paucity

noun

pau·​ci·​ty ˈpȯ-sə-tē How to pronounce paucity (audio)
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."

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Barnes: Our old pecans, too, are untouched by the heat and paucity of rain so far. Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 Not just no goals, but a paucity of scoring chances compared to any stretch of the first four games. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 15 June 2025 Despite the frequent paucity of BLM cartographic resources, apparently Jackson never got lost or worried about dropping the thread of a trail. Melina Sempill Watts, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025 But the Fort Pierce station doesn’t address a paucity of local news coverage in Palm Beach County, Rampell suggested. . David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for paucity

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of paucity was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Paucity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paucity. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

paucity

noun
pau·​ci·​ty ˈpȯ-sət-ē How to pronounce paucity (audio)
: smallness of number or quantity : scarcity
a paucity of experience

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