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
