modicum
noun
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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.
Examples of modicum in a Sentence
David Remnick, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2025
The testing usually only covers a modicum of tests and doesn’t exhaustively test all possible variations (the time and cost would be enormous and likely prohibitive).
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
That should give the Atlanta Braves at least a modicum of hope.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2025
Where the Season 2 finale imbued its important action scenes with a modicum of whimsy, last night’s episode presented little by way of humor, stylistic finesse, or emotional release.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for modicum
Cite this Entry
“Modicum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/modicum. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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modicum
noun
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