Dictionary

exiguity en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɛɡziˈɡjuiti/ (General-American)
• /ɛɡzɪˈɡjuːɪti/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɪɡ-/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle French exiguite, from Late Latin exiguitas. See exiguous.

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) The quality of being meagre or scanty.
   • Of the nature of Mr. Knott himself Watt remained in particular ignorance. Of the many excellent reasons for this, two seemed to Watt to merit mention: on the one hand the exiguity of the material propounded to his senses, and on the other the decay of these. 1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, [Paris]: Olympia Press, →OCLC:
   • We have yet to treat the exiguity of the accounting framework and this exiguity draws away the interest to any empirical utilisation. 1986, Manuel J. Vilares, “Macroeconomic Models with Quantity Rationing”, in Structural Change in Macroeconomic Models: Theory and Estimation (Advanced Studies in Theoretical and Applied Econometrics; 6), Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, →DOI, →ISBN, section 1.4.3 (The Exiguity of the Accounting Framework), page 59:
   • Some undertakings, however, required so much manpower that farmers had to recruit their neighbors. […] These collaborations integrated the neighborhood and established it as more than a mere locality where farmers happened to live. They were one means by which to rise above exiguities and weather the turbulences in a precarious world. 2002, Martin Bruegel, “Exchange and the Creation of the Neighborhood in the Late Eighteenth Century”, in Farm, Shop, Landing: The Rise of a Market Society in the Hudson Valley, 1780–1860, Durham, N.C.; London: Duke University Press, →ISBN, page 21:
   • However, despite its exiguity, the vicarage did maintain an independent existence as a benefice, and the College continued to make presentations to the bishop of Worcester. 1991, Robert N. Swanson, “Standard of Livings: Parochial Revenues in Pre-Reformation England”, in Christopher Harper-Bill, editor, Religious Belief and Ecclesiastical Careers in Late Medieval England: Proceedings of the Conference Held at Strawberry Hill, Easter 1989 (Studies in the History of Medieval Religion; 3), Woodbridge, Suffolk: The Boydell Press, Boydell & Brewer, →ISBN, page 176:
   • The exiguity and ſmallneſſe of ſome ſeeds extending to large productions is one of the magnalities of nature, ſomewhat illuſtrating the work of the Creation, and vaſt production from nothing. 1658, Thomas Browne, “The Garden of Cyrus. […]. Chapter III.”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, […] Together with The Garden of Cyrus, […], London: […] Hen[ry] Brome […], →OCLC, page 136:

Forms

Relateds

exiguousness · exiguate · exiguously · unexiguous · exiguous

Synonyms

exiguousness · meagreness · scantiness

Translations (17)

fr exiguïté (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · pt exiguidade (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · es exigüidad (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · it esiguità (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · pl znikomość (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · ar رَكَاكَة (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · bg оскъдица (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · de Dürftigkeit (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · el μικρότητα (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · ro puținătate (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · ru ску́дость (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · de Spärlichkeit (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · es escasez (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · pl skąpość (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · eo malabundeco (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · pl szczupłość (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness) · it sparutezza (quality of being meagre or scanty — see also meagreness, scantiness)