English Lexicon

Few

/fjuː/
adjectivepronounnounCEFR A1 (Beginner)Top #85 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As adjective
  1. 1

    Amounting to a small, countable number; not many.

    "Few people understood the complex lecture."
As pronoun
  1. 1

    A small number of people or things.

    "Many were invited, but only a few arrived."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from Old English 'fēaw', meaning small in number or slight, originating from Proto-Germanic '*faunaz'. It shares roots with Old High German 'fāhi' and Latin 'paucus' (few, little), reflecting a deep Indo-European heritage denoting scarcity or small quantity.

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