Modicity

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A condition marked by having a restrained or minimal quantity that reflects moderation in amount or extent
2. The state of being limited or scant, often indicating a controlled or measured degree of something
3. A state characterized by a modest or small amount that shows restraint in volume or degree

Etymology: "Modicity" comes straight from Latin "modicitas," a noun built on "modicus," meaning "moderate" or "small in measure." That adjective in turn grew from "modus," the Latin word for measure, manner or limit, which is also the source of English "mode" and "modest." So the core idea is measure itself: a modicity is a quantity held within a reasonable bound, neither excessive nor vast. English took the word through French, where "modicité" is the matching form, and the English noun carries the same sense of restraint. Its meaning therefore sits close to the Latin, describing something kept small or moderate rather than something that is simply lacking. The modern sense of a controlled, measured degree descends directly from the idea of a limit set on purpose.