noun
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smallness of quantity; insufficiency; dearth
-
smallness of number; fewness
Etymology
Origin of paucity
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English paucite, from Latin paucitās “fewness,” derivative of paucus “few”; see -ity
Explanation
The word paucity means not enough of something. If you've got a paucity of good cheer, for example, you'd better cheer up! One good way to remember the meaning of paucity is that it's a bit like pauper, as in The Prince and the Pauper. The prince had too much money, and the pauper had a paucity. There are a lot of words that mean "little" or "small," but paucity is used when you mean specifically "not enough" or "too little." People in Los Angeles don't understand how New Yorkers can live with such a paucity of space. For what New Yorkers pay for a tiny apartment, Angelenos get a house and a yard.
Vocabulary lists containing paucity
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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100 SAT words Beginning with "P"
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Elie Wiesel's "Hope, Despair and Memory" (1986)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It’s a documentary with a paucity of inspirational moments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
He added that "given the paucity of evidence and the passage of time, it is unlikely that further meaningful investigation is possible, or that further investigation would serve a practical purpose".
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
The labor market is still in good condition overall, mind you, if just because of the surprising paucity of layoffs.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 3, 2026
There’s still room for improvement, as the relative paucity of battery storage leaves those states more vulnerable to nighttime spikes in natural gas combustion.
From Slate ● Mar. 12, 2026
Here again I found the tally agreeing exactly; the carriers’ men were able to supplement the paucity of the written words with a few details.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
