English Explanatory Dictionary

few

English dictionary entry

Meanings

det
  1. An indefinite, but usually small, number of.
  2. Not many; a small (in comparison with another number stated or implied) but somewhat indefinite number of.
  3. Obscuring one to two oktas (eighths) of the sky.
  4. (US?) Having a 10 percent chance of measurable precipitation (0.01 inch); used interchangeably with isolated.
pron
  1. Few people, few things.
name
  1. The pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/fjuː/ /fɪu̯/ [fjʉː] [fjʉ͡u] En-uk-few.ogg en-us-few.ogg

Word forms

few fewer less fewest least The Few

Etymology

From Middle English fewe, from Old English fēaw (“few”), from Proto-West Germanic *fau, from Proto-Germanic *fawaz (“few”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂w- (“few, small”). Cognate with Old Saxon fā (“few”), Old High German fao, fō (“few, little”), Old Norse fár (“few”), Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌿𐍃 (faus, “few”). Also related with Latin paucus (“little, few”) and pauper (“poor”), from which latter English poor and pauper; see these.

Synonyms

little

Antonyms

many

Related words

paucity poor

Derived words

a fair few a few a few clowns short of a circus a few fries short of a Happy Meal a few roos loose in the top paddock a few spanners short of a tool box a good few cover-few few and far between few cards short of a full deck few cards shy of a full deck few-flowered sedge fewfold fewly fewness few sandwiches short of a picnic few-shot few-shot learning have a few have a few too many in a few shakes man of few words precious few pull a few strings quite a few some few to name a few woman of few words you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette
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