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Word of the Day Archive
Thursday November 30, 2000

modicum \MOD-ih-kum\, noun:
A small or moderate or token amount.

Abraham Lincoln's childhood education, conducted almost entirely by himself, with only a modicum of schooling, is one of the most familiar stories in American history.
-- Douglas L. Wilson, Honor's Voice

Ruth worked in the sociology department which had a garden in an internal courtyard that gave the place a modicum of charm.
-- Gillian Slovo, Every Secret Thing

While he derived a modicum of pleasure from his son's rambunctiousness, he was also disturbed by it.
-- Jonah Raskin, For the Hell of It

Modicum is from Latin modicus, moderate, from modus, measure.

Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation for modicum

 

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