English Explanatory Dictionary

sparse

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Having widely spaced intervals.
  2. Not dense; meager; scanty
  3. Having few nonzero elements
verb
  1. To disperse, to scatter.

Pronunciation

/spɑːs/ /spɑːɹs/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Gibraltar Rocks-sparse.wav

Word forms

sparse sparser sparsest sparses sparsing sparsed

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin sparsus.

Synonyms

thin paltry spread out insufficient besprenge broadcast desparple discuss disgregate disparkle disparple dispel disperple disperse distribute dwindle straggle flurr insperse instrew litter overshake resperse scatter squander sparble sparkle sparse sperse spread springe strew strinkle todrive togo torat whiffle

Related words

sparge thin out

Derived words

nonsparse sparse array sparsely sparsen sparseness sparse table sparsification sparsify sparsistency sparsistent sparsity ultrasparse unsparse sparsedly
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
Back to search All on S Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary