modicum
/'mɔdikəm/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A very small quantity or amount of something; a minimal portion that is barely sufficient or noticeable.
Usage
"Modicum" is a formal noun used to indicate a tiny, often barely adequate, amount of something abstract (like effort, respect, or intelligence) or something tangible. It is almost always used with "a" (a modicum of) and is followed by an uncountable noun or an abstract concept.
Examples
- He hoped for at least a modicum of respect from his colleagues.
- The plan requires a modicum of common sense to implement successfully.
- She showed not a modicum of remorse for her actions.
- The recipe is simple, needing only a modicum of effort.
Advanced Usage
- "a modicum of decency/sanity/truth": These are common collocations emphasizing a small but essential or expected amount of a positive quality.
- Please have a modicum of decency and lower your voice.
- The word often implies that the small amount mentioned is the least that could be expected or is surprisingly absent.
- The report was published without a modicum of evidence to support its claims.
Variants and Related Words
- Modica (n): The rare, technically correct plural form, almost never used in modern English. "Modicums" is an accepted alternative.
- Moderate (adj): Of medium or average amount or quality. Shares the Latin root ( meaning "moderate").
- Moderation (n): The avoidance of excess.
Synonyms
- Bit: A small piece or amount.
- Iota: An extremely small amount.
- Jot: A very small amount (often used in negative constructions: "not one jot").
- Scintilla: A tiny trace or spark.
- Whit: The smallest part or amount imaginable (used in phrases like "not a whit").
Antonyms
- Abundance: A very large quantity.
- Profusion: An abundance or large quantity.
- Plethora: An excess of something.
- Cornucopia: An abundant supply of good things.
Noun
- a small or moderate or token amount
- England still expects a modicum of eccentricity in its artists- Ian Jack