sparse

[ spahrs ]
See synonyms for: sparsesparselysparsenesssparsity on Thesaurus.com

adjective,spars·er, spars·est.
  1. thinly scattered or distributed: a sparse population.

  2. not thick or dense; thin: sparse hair.

Origin of sparse

1
First recorded in 1715–25; from Latin sparsus, past participle of spargere “to scatter,” see sparge

synonym study For sparse

1-3. See scanty.

Opposites for sparse

Other words from sparse

  • sparse·ly, adverb
  • spar·si·ty [spahr-si-tee], /ˈspɑr sɪ ti/, sparse·ness, noun
  • un·sparse, adjective

Words Nearby sparse

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use sparse in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sparse

sparse

/ (spɑːs) /


adjective
  1. scattered or scanty; not dense

Origin of sparse

1
C18: from Latin sparsus, from spargere to scatter

Derived forms of sparse

  • sparsely, adverb
  • sparseness or sparsity, noun

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