| Library / English Dictionary |
SUFFICIENCY
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
The quality of being sufficient for the end in view
Example:
he questioned the sufficiency of human intelligence
Synonyms:
adequacy; sufficiency
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("sufficiency" is a kind of...):
quality (an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone)
Attribute:
ample (more than enough in size or scope or capacity)
meager; meagerly; meagre; scrimpy; stingy (deficient in amount or quality or extent)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sufficiency"):
ampleness (the property of being more than sufficient; comfortable sufficiency)
Antonym:
insufficiency (lack of an adequate quantity or number)
Derivation:
suffice (be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity)
sufficient (of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant)
Sense 2
Meaning:
An adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
Example:
there is more than a sufficiency of lawyers in this country
Synonyms:
enough; sufficiency
Classified under:
Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure
Hypernyms ("sufficiency" is a kind of...):
relative quantity (a quantity relative to some purpose)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sufficiency"):
fill (a quantity sufficient to satisfy)
Derivation:
suffice (be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity)
sufficient (of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Sufficient resources to provide comfort and meet obligations
Example:
her father questioned the young suitor's sufficiency
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("sufficiency" is a kind of...):
wealth; wealthiness (the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money)
Derivation:
suffice (be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity)
