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
Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2025
When he was named commissioner in late 1943, Hannegan brought a modicum of relevant experience to the job, having served as collector of internal revenue for the Eastern District of Missouri for about a year.
—Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
Our meetings had a significance for me because of my belief that if our society is to restore itself there must be the possibility of a serious dialogue between philosophical opponents and a modicum of mutual respect.
—John R. MacArthur, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
Okay, where then would an intelligence explosion have a modicum of chance occurring?
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Modicum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/modicum. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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modicum
noun
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