Hypertext Webster Gateway: "sparse"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Sparse \Sparse\, a. [Compar. {Sparser}; superl. {Sparsest}.] [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.) Placed irregularly and distantly; scattered; --
applied to branches, leaves, peduncles, and the like.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Sparse \Sparse\, v. t. [L. sparsus, p. p. of spargere to
scatter.]
To scatter; to disperse. [Obs.] --Spenser.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
sparse
adj : not dense; "a thin beard"; "trees were sparse" [syn: {thin}]
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