paucal

P3A1U1C3A1L1
UK/ˈpɔːkəl/US/ˈpɔkəl/

adjective

Characterized by having a small number, greater than two, of (usually equivalent) components.

“paucal number”

Opposite
multalmultiple
OriginLatin paucālis ← Proto-Indo-European *peh₂w- →
Scrabble 10
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

adjectivepaucal (not comparable)
  1. not comparableCharacterized by having a small number, greater than two, of (usually equivalent) components.
  2. not comparablegrammarPertaining to a language form referring to a few or a couple of something (typically three to around ten), e.g. a small group of people.

    paucal number

    2 more examples

    first-person paucal

    paucal and plural pronouns

  3. not comparablehuman sciencesExpressing a relatively small quantity or degree.

    But too much can occur in the negative with a paucal meaning when there is no explicit or implicit infinitival complement: I didn't enjoy it too much is simply an informal alterant of I didn't enjoy it very much.

    2002, Rodney Huddleston, Geoffrey K. Pullum, The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language

    Antonyms: multal

nounpaucal (uncountable)
  1. uncountablegrammarA language form referring to a few of something (three to around ten), as a small group of people; contrast singular, dual, trial, and plural.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveExpressing a relatively small quantity or degree.

Opposite
multal

antonym(s) of “few”

Opposite
multiple

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*peh₂w-“few, little”
  2. Latinpaucālis“few, little”
  3. Englishpaucal

From Latin paucālis (“few, little”), from paucus, plural paucī (“few, little, a few, the select few, the oligarchs”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂w- (“few, little”), + Latin adjective suffix -ālis.

More words from Latin, Proto-Indo-European

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian броен, бройна форма
  • броен (broen)paucal (adjective)
  • бройна формаpaucal (noun)
Dutch weinigvoud
  • weinigvoudpaucal (noun)
French paucal, paucal
  • paucalpaucal (adjective)
  • paucalpaucal (noun)
German Paucalis, Paukal
  • Paucalispaucal (noun)
  • Paukalpaucal (noun)
Latin paucālis
  • paucālispaucal (adjective)
Polish kilkukrotny, liczba kilkukrotna
  • kilkukrotnypaucal (adjective)
  • liczba kilkukrotnapaucal (noun)
Russian паука́льный, паукальный
  • паука́льный (paukálʹnyj)paucal (adjective)
  • паукальный (paukalʹnyj)paucal (noun)
Swedish paukalis
  • paukalispaucal (noun)
Cite this entry
APA

paucal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paucal

MLA

“paucal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paucal. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “paucal,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paucal.

Source: paucal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.