Today’s word comes from this week’s news.

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Today’s Word

Part of Speech

noun

Definition

1. Smallness of number.
2. Smallness or insufficiency of number; fewness.

History

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.”

~Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Synonyms

dearth, insufficiency, undersupply

Antonyms

abundance, plenty, wealth

Usage and Examples

Here are a couple of examples:

• By blocking the supply convoy, the enemy assured a paucity of needed medical equipment to the front lines.
• Everyone wanted to know how the commissioner planned to deal with the county’s paucity of funds.