paucal

Etymology

From Latin paucalis (“few, little”), from paucus, plural pauci (“few, little, a few, the select few, the oligarchs”), from Proto-Indo-European *pau- (“few, little”), + Latin adjective suffix -alis.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpɔːkəl/
• (US) enPR: päʹkəl, IPA^(key): /ˈpɑkəl/

Adjective

paucal (not comparable)

1. Characterized by having a small number, greater than two, of (usually equivalent) components.
2. (grammar) pertaining to a language form referring to a few of something (three to around ten), as a small group of people; contrast singular, dual, trial and plural.

   first-person paucal

   paucal number

   paucal and plural pronouns

Noun

paucal (uncountable)

1. (grammar) a language form referring to a few of something (three to around ten), as a small group of people; contrast singular, dual, trial and plural.

Related terms

• pauci-
• paucity

See also

• (grammatical numbers) grammatical number; singular, dual, trial, quadral, paucal, plural