a significant paucity of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a significant paucity of" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It means a significant lack or shortage of something. It is often used in a formal or academic context. Example sentence: "The research paper highlighted a significant paucity of studies on the long-term effects of the medication."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

However, there is a significant paucity of data collected from these species in their natural environment.

Current Opinion in Biotechnology

Despite this rapid population increase, there is a significant paucity of research in this population [ 6].

BMC Nursing

The mammary tissue of STAT5A-deficient animals has a significant paucity of STAT5B protein [ 25].

Breast Cancer Research

Figure  10a also shows a significant paucity of IRs in the S. cerevisiae genome just after the gene start position.

Current Genetics

Currently, there is a significant paucity of research eliciting the relationship between the ToM and intelligence in typically developing children [ 20].

Behavioral and Brain Functions

In all other tissues, there is either no departure from the random expectation or a significant paucity of male-biased genes on the X chromosome.

Genome Biology and Evolution

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

In this study, the significant paucity of sleep spindles (B2) per minute in the fronto-central region correlated with age in the patient group.

Supplements to Clinical Neurophysiology

Unfortunately, there have been relatively few effective, long-term treatment options to choose from, as evidenced by the significant paucity of available treatments to fill the gap between lifestyle modification and bariatric surgery.

Health Economics Review

Thus, based on the lymphocyte count, their phenotype and the T-cell receptor excision circle (TREC) analysis (Kuss et al, 2004b), it appears that the significant paucity of naïve and excess of memory CD4+ T cells characterises the subset of CD4+ T cells in SCCHN patients.

British Journal of Cancer

This provides a good indication that predictions converge on the same set of regulatory proteins despite significant paucity in the experimental data.

Plosone

A well-understood principle in academia -- and I believe in diplomacy -- is that complex, recondite terminology tends to hide a paucity of significant meaning.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a significant paucity of", ensure the context is formal or academic. It's particularly effective when highlighting a lack of data, research, or resources in a specific field or area.

Common error

Avoid using "a significant paucity of" in casual conversation or informal writing. Opt for simpler phrases like "a significant lack of" or "not enough" to maintain an appropriate tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a significant paucity of" functions as a determiner phrase, modifying a noun to indicate a considerable lack or shortage of something. As Ludwig AI explains, the phrase is grammatically correct. Examples from Ludwig illustrate its use in scientific and academic contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

70%

News & Media

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a significant paucity of" is a grammatically correct and formal way to express a considerable lack or shortage. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability. While it's suitable for academic, scientific, and professional writing, simpler alternatives are preferred for casual contexts. It's often used to highlight deficiencies in data, research, or resources. Be mindful of your audience and purpose when choosing this phrase. Top sources include Genome Biology and Evolution, The New York Times, and The Guardian.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a considerable shortage of

Replaces "paucity" with "shortage" and "significant" with "considerable", maintaining similar meaning but altering word choice.

a marked absence of

Substitutes "significant paucity" with "marked absence", emphasizing the lack of something.

a substantial deficiency of

Replaces "paucity" with "deficiency" and "significant" with "substantial", denoting an inadequacy.

a notable lack of

Emphasizes the absence using "notable" instead of "significant" and replacing "paucity" with "lack".

a serious deficit of

Uses "serious deficit" to convey the idea of a significant lack.

a major scarcity of

Replaces "paucity" with "scarcity" and "significant" with "major", highlighting the rarity of something.

a critical insufficiency of

Substitutes with "critical insufficiency" emphasizing the importance of what is lacking.

a pronounced dearth of

Uses "pronounced dearth" to indicate a conspicuous lack.

a vast inadequacy of

Replaces "paucity" with "inadequacy" and "significant" with "vast", stressing the extent of the deficiency.

a severe undersupply of

Expresses the lack as an "undersupply" and uses "severe" instead of significant.

FAQs

What does "a significant paucity of" mean?

The phrase "a significant paucity of" means there is a considerable lack or shortage of something. It's often used in formal or academic contexts to emphasize the deficiency.

How can I use "a significant paucity of" in a sentence?

You can use "a significant paucity of" to describe a lack of something in a formal context. For example: "There is "a significant paucity of data" on the long-term effects of this treatment."

What are some alternatives to "a significant paucity of"?

Alternatives include "a considerable shortage of", "a marked absence of", or "a notable lack of", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "a significant paucity of" too formal for general writing?

Yes, "a significant paucity of" is quite formal. For general writing, consider using simpler alternatives like "a significant lack of" or "not enough" to keep your writing more accessible and engaging.