sparse C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities US /spɑrs/ UK /spɑːs/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 adj thinly distributed or scarce; not dense Vegetation was sparse on the rocky slope. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 adj · thinly distributed or... scantyscarcemeagerthinscatteredskimpy ↔ Opposites denseabundantplentifulthickcrowded Word family Forms sparsely Derived forms sparselysparsenesssparsity Etymology AI details From Latin sparsus, past participle of spargere ('to scatter, sprinkle'). sparsus Latin spargere Latin View etymology graph -> Topics Describing Qualities External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # sparse **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** adj **IPA (US):** /spɑrs/ **IPA (UK):** /spɑːs/ ## Meanings 1. thinly distributed or scarce; not dense ## Examples - Vegetation was sparse on the rocky slope. ## Synonyms - scanty - scarce - meager - thin - scattered - skimpy ## Antonyms - dense - abundant - plentiful - thick - crowded ## Derived Forms - sparsely - sparseness - sparsity ## Roots and Affixes - Root: sparsus - Root: spargere ## Etymology From Latin sparsus, past participle of spargere ('to scatter, sprinkle'). ## AI Etymology Sparse comes from Latin sparsus, past participle of spargere ('to scatter, sprinkle'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As an adjective, it carries the sense "thinly distributed or scarce; not dense", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Latin sparsus and Latin spargere. Derivative forms include sparsely, sparseness, sparsity. ## Topics - Describing Qualities markdown