modicum

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 3, 2008 is: modicum • \MAH-dih-kum\ • noun : a small portion : a limited quantity Examples: If you had possessed a modicum of sense, you would have paused to think before accepting such a dangerous job. Did you know? What does "modicum" have to do with a toilet? It just so happens that "modicum" shares the same Latin parent as "commode," which is a synonym of "toilet." "Modicum" and "commode" ultimately derive from the Latin noun "modus," which means "measure." "Modicum" has been a part of the English language since the 15th century. It descends from the Latin "modicus" ("moderate"), which is itself a descendant of "modus." (Logically enough, "modicum" refers to a small "measure" of something.) "Modus" really measures up as a Latin root -- it also gave us "mode" (originally a kind of musical "measure"), "modal," "model," "modern," "modify," and "modulate." More distant relatives include "mete," "moderate," and "modest." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.