"fewer" meaning in English

See fewer in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Determiner

IPA: /ˈfjuː.ɚ/ [US] Audio: en-us-fewer.ogg [US] Forms: fewest [superlative]
Rhymes: -uːə(ɹ) Etymology: few + -er Etymology templates: {{suffix|en|few|er|id2=comparative}} few + -er Head templates: {{head|en|determiner|head=}} fewer, {{en-det}} fewer
  1. comparative degree of few; a smaller number. Tags: comparative, form-of Form of: few (extra: a smaller number) Derived forms: could care fewer, the fewer the better fare Related terms: less Translations (comparative of few; a smaller number): ἐλάσσων (elássōn) (Ancient Greek), أَقَلّ (ʔaqall) (Arabic), daha az (Azerbaijani), menys (Catalan), 較少 (Chinese Mandarin), 较少 (jiào shǎo) (Chinese Mandarin), 更少 (gèng shǎo) (Chinese Mandarin), (shǎo) (Chinese Mandarin), færre (Danish), minder (Dutch), harvempi (Finnish), vähemmän (Finnish), moins (de) (French), weniger (German), 𐍆𐌰𐍅𐌹𐌶𐌰 (fawiza) (Gothic), פחות (Hebrew), kevesebb (Hungarian), (Irish), meno (Italian), paucior (Latin), iti iho (Maori), les (Middle English), fewere (Middle English), færre (Norwegian), mniej (Polish), menos [masculine] (Portuguese), ме́ньше (ménʹše) (Russian), menos (Spanish), färre (Swedish), ме́ньше (ménʹše) (Ukrainian), llai (Welsh)

Download JSON data for fewer meaning in English (5.6kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "few",
        "3": "er",
        "id2": "comparative"
      },
      "expansion": "few + -er",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "few + -er",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "fewest",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "determiner",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "fewer",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "fewer",
      "name": "en-det"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "det",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English determiners",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -er (comparative)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "word": "could care fewer"
        },
        {
          "word": "the fewer the better fare"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2001 September 27, Terrie E. Moffitt, Avshalom Caspi, Michael Rutter, Phil A. Silva, Sex Differences in Antisocial Behaviour: Conduct Disorder, Delinquency, and Violence in the Dunedin Longitudinal Study, Cambridge University Press, page 151",
          "text": "This hypothesis goes by many names, including group resistence, the threshold effect, and the gender paradox. Because the hypothesis holds such wide appeal, it is worth revisiting the logic behind it. The hypothesis is built on the factual observation that fewer females than males act antisocially.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "text": "Fewer women wear hats these days."
        },
        {
          "text": "There are fewer tigers than there were a hundred years ago."
        }
      ],
      "form_of": [
        {
          "extra": "a smaller number",
          "word": "few"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "comparative degree of few; a smaller number."
      ],
      "id": "en-fewer-en-det-K5892ZQq",
      "links": [
        [
          "few",
          "few#English"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "less"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "comparative",
        "form-of"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "roman": "ʔaqall",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "أَقَلّ"
        },
        {
          "code": "az",
          "lang": "Azerbaijani",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "daha az"
        },
        {
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "menys"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "較少"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "jiào shǎo",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "较少"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "gèng shǎo",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "更少"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "shǎo",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "少"
        },
        {
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "færre"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "minder"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "harvempi"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "vähemmän"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "moins (de)"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "weniger"
        },
        {
          "code": "got",
          "lang": "Gothic",
          "roman": "fawiza",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "𐍆𐌰𐍅𐌹𐌶𐌰"
        },
        {
          "code": "grc",
          "lang": "Ancient Greek",
          "roman": "elássōn",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "ἐλάσσων"
        },
        {
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "פחות"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "kevesebb"
        },
        {
          "code": "ga",
          "lang": "Irish",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "lú"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "meno"
        },
        {
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "paucior"
        },
        {
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "iti iho"
        },
        {
          "code": "enm",
          "lang": "Middle English",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "les"
        },
        {
          "code": "enm",
          "lang": "Middle English",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "fewere"
        },
        {
          "code": "no",
          "lang": "Norwegian",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "færre"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "mniej"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "menos"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "ménʹše",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "ме́ньше"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "menos"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "färre"
        },
        {
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "ménʹše",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "ме́ньше"
        },
        {
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
          "word": "llai"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfjuː.ɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-uːə(ɹ)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-fewer.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/43/En-us-fewer.ogg/En-us-fewer.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/En-us-fewer.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "fewer"
}
{
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "could care fewer"
    },
    {
      "word": "the fewer the better fare"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "few",
        "3": "er",
        "id2": "comparative"
      },
      "expansion": "few + -er",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "few + -er",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "fewest",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "determiner",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "fewer",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "fewer",
      "name": "en-det"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "det",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "less"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English 2-syllable words",
        "English determiners",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English lemmas",
        "English terms suffixed with -er (comparative)",
        "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
        "English terms with audio links",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Rhymes:English/uːə(ɹ)",
        "Rhymes:English/uːə(ɹ)/2 syllables"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2001 September 27, Terrie E. Moffitt, Avshalom Caspi, Michael Rutter, Phil A. Silva, Sex Differences in Antisocial Behaviour: Conduct Disorder, Delinquency, and Violence in the Dunedin Longitudinal Study, Cambridge University Press, page 151",
          "text": "This hypothesis goes by many names, including group resistence, the threshold effect, and the gender paradox. Because the hypothesis holds such wide appeal, it is worth revisiting the logic behind it. The hypothesis is built on the factual observation that fewer females than males act antisocially.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "text": "Fewer women wear hats these days."
        },
        {
          "text": "There are fewer tigers than there were a hundred years ago."
        }
      ],
      "form_of": [
        {
          "extra": "a smaller number",
          "word": "few"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "comparative degree of few; a smaller number."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "few",
          "few#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "comparative",
        "form-of"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfjuː.ɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-uːə(ɹ)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-fewer.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/43/En-us-fewer.ogg/En-us-fewer.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/En-us-fewer.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "roman": "ʔaqall",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "أَقَلّ"
    },
    {
      "code": "az",
      "lang": "Azerbaijani",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "daha az"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "menys"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "較少"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "jiào shǎo",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "较少"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "gèng shǎo",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "更少"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "shǎo",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "少"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "færre"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "minder"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "harvempi"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "vähemmän"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "moins (de)"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "weniger"
    },
    {
      "code": "got",
      "lang": "Gothic",
      "roman": "fawiza",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "𐍆𐌰𐍅𐌹𐌶𐌰"
    },
    {
      "code": "grc",
      "lang": "Ancient Greek",
      "roman": "elássōn",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "ἐλάσσων"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "פחות"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "kevesebb"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "lú"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "meno"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "paucior"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "iti iho"
    },
    {
      "code": "enm",
      "lang": "Middle English",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "les"
    },
    {
      "code": "enm",
      "lang": "Middle English",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "fewere"
    },
    {
      "code": "no",
      "lang": "Norwegian",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "færre"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "mniej"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "menos"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "ménʹše",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "ме́ньше"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "menos"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "färre"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "ménʹše",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "ме́ньше"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "comparative of few; a smaller number",
      "word": "llai"
    }
  ],
  "word": "fewer"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-24 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (82c8ff9 and f4967a5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.