paucus

From Proto-Italic *paukos, from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂u-kos, from *peh₂w- (“few, small”) + *-kos (whence -cus). See also Old Saxon fā (“few”), Old High German fao, fō (“few, little”), Old Norse fár (“few”), Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌿𐍃 (faus, “few”) for the former element.^[1]

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈpau̯.kus/, [ˈpäu̯kʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈpau̯.kus/, [ˈpäːu̯kus]

paucus (feminine pauca, neuter paucum, comparative paucior, superlative paucissimus); first/second-declension adjective

1. few, little

   Synonyms: modicus, parcus, perpaucus

   Antonym: nimius

• Usually plural; very rare in the singular. Mostly pertaining to quantity.

First/second-declension adjective.

• “paucus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “paucus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• paucus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette, page 1,127/1.
• Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to give some one a few days for reflection: paucorum dierum spatium ad deliberandum dare
    
  • the addition of a few years: accessio paucorum annorum
    
  • to choose one from a large number of instances: ex infinita exemplorum copia unum (pauca) sumere, decerpere (eligere)
    
  • to give a brief exposition of the geography of Africa: Africae situm paucis exponere
    
  • to explain a matter briefly, in a few words (not paucis verbis): breviter, paucis explicare aliquid
    
  • to explain a matter briefly, in a few words (not paucis verbis): rem paucis absolvere (Sall. Iug. 17. 2)
    
  • to say only a few words: pauca dicere (pauca verba dicere only of the orator)
    
  • to be satisfied with a little: paucis, parvo contentum esse
    
  • a word with you: paucis te volo
    
  • oligarchy: paucorum dominatio or potentia
    
  • to obtain many (few) votes in a century or tribe: multa (pauca) puncta in centuria (tribu) aliqua ferre
    
  • in short; to be brief: ut paucis (rem) absolvam
    
  • in short; to be brief: ut paucis (brevi, breviter) complectar
    
• “paucus” on page 1,312 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed., 1968–82)