modicum
noun
Did you know?
The Origins of Modicum Can Be Found in the Bathroom
What does modicum have to do with a toilet? It just so happens that modicum shares the same Latin parent as commode, which is a synonym of toilet. Modicum and commode ultimately derive from the Latin noun modus, which means "measure." (We borrowed the noun commode from the French, who also used the word as an adjective meaning "suitable, convenient.") Modicum, which, logically enough, refers to a small "measure" of something, has been a part of the English language since the 15th century. It descends from the Latin modicus ("moderate"), which is itself a descendant of modus. Modus really measures up as a Latin root—it also gave us mode (originally a kind of musical "measure"), modal, model, modern, modify, and modulate. More distant relatives include mete, moderate, and modest.
Synonyms
Examples of modicum in a Sentence
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
Over the course of three Venom movies, Tom Hardy has done a lot to bring a modicum of gravitas to a profoundly silly story about a parasitic alien whose place in the Marvel universe cosmology has never made a lot of sense.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Oct. 2024
The song ultimately brought Dalhart fame and a modicum of wealth.
—Ted Olson, The Conversation, 9 Aug. 2024
Having been wiped off the docket following appearances in the 1900 and 1904 Games, the sport returned in 2016, but struggled to gain even a modicum of momentum.
—Brendan Quinn, The Athletic, 4 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for modicum 
Articles Related to modicum
Dictionary Entries Near modicum
Cite this Entry
“Modicum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/modicum. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
modicum
noun
Share