SPARSE

sparse, thin

(adjective) not dense; “a thin beard”; “trees were sparse”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

sparse (comparative sparser, superlative sparsest)

Having widely spaced intervals.

Not dense; meager; scanty

(maths) Having few nonzero elements

Synonyms

• (having widely spaced intervals): spread out, thin; see also diffuse

• (meager): insufficient, paltry; see also inadequate

Verb

sparse (third-person singular simple present sparses, present participle sparsing, simple past and past participle sparsed)

(obsolete) To scatter; to disperse.

Synonyms

• See also disperse

Anagrams

• Aspers, Spears, Speras, aspers, parses, passer, prases, presas, repass, sarpes, spares, spaser, spears

Source: Wiktionary


Sparse, a. [Compar. Sparser; superl. Sparsest.] Etym: [L. sparsus, p.p. of spargere to strew, scatter. Cf. Asperse, Disperse.]

1. Thinly scattered; set or planted here and there; not being dense or close together; as, a sparse population. Carlyle.

2. (Bot.)

Definition: Placed irregularly and distantly; scattered; -- applied to branches, leaves, peduncles, and the like.

Sparse, v. t. Etym: [L. sparsus, p.p. of spargere to scatter.]

Definition: To scatter; to disperse. [Obs.] Spenser.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

19 April 2025

CATCH

(verb) grasp with the mind or develop an understanding of; “did you catch that allusion?”; “We caught something of his theory in the lecture”; “don’t catch your meaning”; “did you get it?”; “She didn’t get the joke”; “I just don’t get him”


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Coffee Trivia

You can overdose on coffee if you drink about 30 cups in a brief period to get close to a lethal dosage of caffeine.

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