Word
paucity
Phoneticspauci·ty
US/ˈpɔsəˌti/
UK/pˈɔːsɪti/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. a very small amount of something — much less than you need or expect.
n. a smallness in number or quantity; a scarcity that falls well short of what is needed or expected.
Examples
“The paucity of rain harms the crops this year.”
“The clinic struggles with a paucity of nurses, so patients wait for hours for basic care.”
“Despite the paucity of surviving letters, historians have reconstructed a vivid portrait of her intellectual circle in exile.”
Examples
simple
“The paucity of rain harms the crops this year.”
contextual
“The clinic struggles with a paucity of nurses, so patients wait for hours for basic care.”
complex
“Despite the paucity of surviving letters, historians have reconstructed a vivid portrait of her intellectual circle in exile.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “paucity” in context.
Verb
01. cite paucity
“The report cites the paucity of reliable data on migration.”
verb + noun
02. lament paucity
“Critics lament the paucity of affordable housing in the capital.”
verb + noun
03. paucity hampers
“The paucity of evidence hampers any firm conclusion about the treatment.”
noun + verb
04. paucity limits
“The paucity of funding limits large-scale clinical trials.”
noun + verb
Adjective
05. extreme paucity
“The extreme paucity of rainfall this year has devastated local agriculture.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. paucity of data
“The paucity of data makes it difficult to predict future trends.”
noun + prep + noun
07. paucity of evidence
“Due to the paucity of evidence, the theory remains unproven.”
noun + prep + noun
08. paucity of funding
“The paucity of funding threatens several arts programmes.”
noun + prep + noun
09. paucity of information
“The paucity of information left voters confused before the referendum.”
noun + prep + noun
10. cite the paucity of research
“Scholars often cite the paucity of research into early bilingualism.”
11. extreme paucity of evidence
“There is an extreme paucity of evidence to support the claim.”
12. paucity of funding limits progress
“The paucity of funding limits progress in renewable energy research.”
Usage
Typically followed by 'of' plus a noun phrase ('paucity of evidence').
Real-World Examples
“Dismayed by the paucity of middle-income students on their campuses, the nation's boarding schools are widening the array of financial-aid options for people who know they are not rich enough to pay outright and have long presumed they were too rich to receive help.” “SpaceX lacks a clear public market benchmark, given the paucity of public space companies and the company's interests across aerospace, telecom and defense.” “And nowhere are the grand but geriatric buildings weaker than in their paucity of bathroom facilities, particularly for women.” Etymology
From Middle English paucete, paucite, paucyte, partly from Middle French paucité and partly from its etymon, Latin paucitās (“a small number, fewness, scarcity”), from paucus (“few, little”). Related to few.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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