modicum
UK /ˈmɒdɪkəm/ · US /ˈmɑdɪkəm/ noun
Forms modicums modica
- noun A modest, small, or trifling amount. “Unable to garner even a modicum of support for his plan, he conceded to follow the others.”
Synonyms
iota jot tittle ace atom thought atomy aught bissel continental bit crumb glimpse dab damn dash diddly glint dot spatter
Antonyms
abundance battalion arseload assload bellyload boatload brimful busload bucketful bucketload butt-ton bumload
Etymology
From Middle English modicum, from Latin modicum (“a little, a small amount”), a noun use of the neuter form of modicus (“moderate; restrained, temperate; reasonable”) + -cum (suffix forming neuter nouns). Modicus is derived from modus (“a measure; a bound, limit”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *med- (“to measure”)) + -icus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives).
The plural form modica is derived from Latin modica.
Webster’s 1913
Etymology [L., fr. modicus moderate, fr. modus. See Mode.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “modicum”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details