paucity

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 13, 2008 is: paucity • \PAW-suh-tee\ • noun 1 : smallness of number : fewness 2 : smallness of quantity : dearth Examples: The manager overheard two customers complaining about the paucity of stylish designs in the store. Did you know? "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." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.