least abundant

USAGE SUMMARY

"least abundant" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is in the smallest quantity or least available. Example: "Water is the most essential resource for life, but it is also the least abundant on our planet."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Holmium is one of the least abundant rare earths; its abundance in Earth's crust is comparable to that of thallium.

Britannica

Penta- and hexa-nucleotide repeats represented the least abundant in Calcutta 4, with equal abundance observed for each motif.

AoB PLANTS

Once method RANK was selected, the enzyme abundances were ranked within each sample from most abundant to least abundant first.

BioMed Research International

Pentamers were the least abundant type (2.33%).

Nature

Cerium, which is the most abundant, ranks 28th, and thulium, the least abundant, ranks 63rd.

Britannica

Wasps were the least abundant with 1,801 individuals and 33 species in seven families.

Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences

For the least abundant phyla and the two least abundant proteobacterial classes, which included zero counts in the samples, we set the family argument to 'tweedie'64 with var.power = 1.5 and link.power = 0 (a compound Poisson gamma distribution).

Nature

IL-2 and INF-γ represented the least abundant templates with no detectable copies in most RNA samples.

Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology

The k = 1 maps produced notably better predictions of the least abundant forest conditions (early-successional, late-successional, and broadleaf).

Remote Sensing of Environment

Mg2+ has been found as the least abundant cation.

Applied Water Science

Bats belonging to the genus Myotis were least abundant.

Ecological Processes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing the abundance of multiple items, ensure the context clearly identifies what is being compared and the specific criteria for abundance.

Common error

Avoid using "least abundant" without defining the scale or context. For example, specify whether you're referring to mass, volume, count, or frequency, to prevent misinterpretation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "least abundant" functions primarily as an adjective phrase that modifies a noun, indicating that the noun has the smallest quantity or is present in the smallest amount compared to others. As Ludwig shows, it commonly appears in scientific and encyclopedic contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

78%

Encyclopedias

7%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "least abundant" is a grammatically sound adjective phrase predominantly used to describe the item with the smallest quantity compared to others in scientific, encyclopedic, and general contexts. Ludwig AI affirms its correctness and common usage. The phrase often appears in academic and research settings, specifying relative minimums and highlighting scarcity. While versatile, ensure clarity by defining the scale or context to avoid misinterpretations. Consider related phrases such as "rarest" or "smallest quantity of" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rarest

Focuses on exceptional scarcity or infrequency of occurrence.

smallest quantity of

Specifies the minimal amount or number of something.

most scarce

Highlights the limited availability or accessibility.

in short supply

Emphasizes the lack of sufficient amount.

sparsest

Implies a very thin or scattered distribution.

lowest concentration of

Focuses on the minimal level of a substance within a mixture.

minimal presence of

Highlights the nearly nonexistent amount or evidence of something.

negligible amount of

Indicates such a small quantity that it can be disregarded.

thinnest distribution of

Focuses on the scattered or sparse arrangement.

fewest

Indicates the lowest count among similar items.

FAQs

How can I use "least abundant" in a sentence?

Use "least abundant" to describe something that exists in the smallest quantity compared to other things. For example, "Among the minerals tested, selenium was the "least abundant"."

What's the difference between "least abundant" and "rarest"?

"Least abundant" indicates the smallest quantity or amount, while "rarest" emphasizes the infrequency or uniqueness of something. Although both suggest scarcity, "rarest" implies a higher degree of infrequency. You can use alternatives like "rarest" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "least abundant" or "less abundant"?

"Least abundant" is used when comparing three or more items and identifying the one with the smallest quantity. "Less abundant" is used for comparing only two items. For multiple items, alternatives for "least abundant" include phrases like "smallest quantity of".

What can I say instead of "least abundant"?

You can use alternatives like "most scarce", "in short supply", or "smallest quantity of" depending on the context.