paucity

[ paw-si-tee ]

See synonyms for paucity on Thesaurus.com

noun

smallness of quantity; scarcity; scantiness: a country with a paucity of resources.
smallness or insufficiency of number; fewness.

Origin of paucity

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English paucite, from Latin paucitās “fewness,” derivative of paucus “few”; see -ity

Words Nearby paucity

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use paucity in a sentence

The paucity is particularly problematic when it comes to data, analytics and marketing science roles, which just so happen to be heavily in demand as companies cultivate their cookieless capabilities.
Media Briefing: The top trends in media so far in 2021 | Tim Peterson | July 1, 2021 | Digiday
Part of that lies in the paucity of documentation of what the Vikings actually did during their raids.
How the Vikings Saved Europe and Got a Terrible Reputation | William O’Connor | September 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Moreover, the long moratorium has resulted in a paucity of qualified experts to research firearm injuries.
Pediatricians Take on the NRA Over Gun Safety | Brandy Zadrozny | May 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Poor health care, a paucity of jobs, and a sense of instability is now taking its toll.
One Year Later, Libya’s Long Road Continues | Jamie Dettmer | October 22, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
The paucity of women in STEM is not just a problem for New York.
Twitter Invests in Young Women with ‘Girls Who Code’ | Allison Yarrow | June 26, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST

A former studio chief agrees that the paucity of stars under 30 is a serious problem for the studios.
Is He Sabotaging His Career? | Kim Masters | March 9, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST
The marked feature of this period is the paucity of statutory enactment affecting relief.
English Poor Law Policy | Sidney Webb
The paucity of material from the mainland, adjacent to Dolphin Island, may be significant.
Speciation in the Kangaroo Rat, Dipodomys ordii | Henry W. Setzer
In reviewing this history, we cannot help regreting the specimen it affords of the paucity of real Christians.
Female Scripture Biographies, Vol. II | Francis Augustus Cox
Mademoiselle's thin lips were moving as if she were whispering to the God whom she served with such a remarkable paucity of words.
The Isle of Unrest | Henry Seton Merriman
The paucity of specimens of Chelydra from Central America has resulted in rather inadequate diagnoses of various populations.
Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests of Southern El Peten, Guatemala | William E. Duellman

British Dictionary definitions for paucity

paucity

/ (ˈpɔːsɪtɪ) /

noun

smallness of quantity; insufficiency; dearth
smallness of number; fewness

Origin of paucity

C15: from Latin paucitās scarcity, from paucus few

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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