# paucity

/ˈpɔsəˌti/ (US) · /pˈɔːsɪti/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/paucity
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

a very small amount of something — much less than you need or expect.

For teachers: 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.

## Synonyms

scarcity, dearth, shortage

## Antonyms

abundance, surplus, profusion

## Usage notes

- Typically followed by 'of' plus a noun phrase ('paucity of evidence').

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.