English vocabulary · C1
Paucity
/ˈpɔːsɪti/ · n.
Paucity means there is far too little of something. Only a few may be there when people need much more.
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Example sentences
- A paucity of rain hurt the crops.
- The town had a paucity of doctors.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- pauc — few (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- SHORTAGE — too little to use (Not Enough)
- LACK — not having enough (Not There)
- SCARCITY — very little to get (Hard To Find)
Words with the same root
pauc — few
- pauper — a very poor person
- poverty — being very poor
- impoverish — make very poor
Lesson notes
Paucity means there is far too little of something. Only a few may be there when people need much more.
Related: shortage, lack, scarcity. Use paucity when there is very little and people need more.
A paucity of rain hurt the crops. The town had a paucity of doctors.
From Latin. Pauc means few. When only a few are there, there is a paucity.