modicum

noun

mo·​di·​cum ˈmä-di-kəm 

also ˈmō-

: a small portion : a limited quantity

had only a modicum of mathematical skills

Did you know?

The Origins of Modicum Can Be Found in the Bathroom

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the English language has more than a modicum of words referring to a small amount of something—it has oodles, from smidgen to soupçon. But while modicum can be applied to countable or physical things (like words or salt) it is almost always applied instead to abstract concepts like respect, success, control, hope, dignity, or privacy. Modicum traces back to the Latin noun modus, meaning “measure,” which just so happens to be the ancestor of more than a modicum of English words, from moderate and modify to mold and commode.

Synonyms of modicum

• damn
• whit
• lick
• shred
• hoot

Examples of modicum in a Sentence

only a modicum of skill is necessary to put the kit together

Recent Examples on the Web

However, a modicum of decency four years ago would’ve gone further. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

In a world where prices continue to rise and current events feel unstable, the proliferation of little treat culture signals a small-but-mighty act by its advocates to exert a modicum of control (and joy) over their day. — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026

The Dodgers, to their credit, displayed a modicum of fight, putting up five runs in the inning, but came up short in a 7-6 loss. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026

The Mystic of my childhood, though, had a modicum of edge — kids with anarchy symbols on their jackets skateboarded outside a coffee shop that reeked of weed, and locals got rowdy at a dysfunctional watering hole called the Draw Bridge Inne. — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin, neuter of modicus moderate, from modus measure

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

modicum

noun

mo·​di·​cum ˈmäd-i-kəm 

ˈmōd-

: a small amount

anyone with a modicum of intelligence would understand