Standard Lemma guide

sufficient

adj · det · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /səˈfɪʃənt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪʃənt
  • CMU ARPABET: S AH0 F IH1 SH AH0 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of a type or kind that suffices, that satisfies requirements or needs.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • This is a necessary condition but not a sufficient one.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Possessing adequate talents or accomplishments; of competent power or ability; qualified; fit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Capable of meeting obligations; responsible.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Having enough money to meet obligations and live comfortably.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

det

Meaning 5

An adequate quantity of; enough.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • We have sufficient supplies to last the winter.
  • There is not sufficient access to the Internet in many small rural villages.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

det

Meaning 6

A quantity (of something) that is as large as is needed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • We don't need any more; we already have sufficient.
  • Sufficient of us are against this idea that we should stop now.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective

Meaning 7

of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • sufficient food

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: insufficient

History

Etymology

From Old French sufisanz, soficient, from Latin sufficiēns, present participle of sufficiō.

Across languages

Translations

44 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: suficient — of competent power or ability
  • Finnish: pätevä — of competent power or ability
  • Finnish: riittävä — of competent power or ability
  • German: genügend — of competent power or ability
  • German: ausreichend — of competent power or ability
  • Hindi: पर्याप्त (paryāpt) — of competent power or ability
  • Italian: appropriato — of competent power or ability
  • Italian: sufficiente — of competent power or ability
  • Japanese: 充分な (jūbun na) — of competent power or ability
  • Japanese: 足りる (tariru) — of competent power or ability
  • Macedonian: способен (sposoben) — of competent power or ability
  • Macedonian: кадарен (kadaren) — of competent power or ability
  • Māori: rawaka — of competent power or ability
  • Portuguese: suficiente — of competent power or ability
  • Spanish: suficiente — of competent power or ability
  • Swedish: tillräcklig — of competent power or ability
  • Thai: พอเพียง (pɔɔ-piiang) — of competent power or ability
  • Finnish: riittävä — (archaic) capable of meeting obligations
  • Italian: idoneo — (archaic) capable of meeting obligations
  • Japanese: 充分な (jūbun na) — (archaic) capable of meeting obligations
  • Japanese: 足りる (tariru) — (archaic) capable of meeting obligations
  • Bengali: যথেষ্ট (jôtheśṭô) — enough, adequate
  • Bulgarian: достатъчен (dostatǎčen) — enough, adequate
  • Bulgarian: задоволителен (zadovolitelen) — enough, adequate
  • Esperanto: sufiĉa — enough, adequate
  • Finnish: tarpeeksi — enough, adequate
  • Finnish: riittävästi — enough, adequate
  • Finnish: kylliksi — enough, adequate
  • Finnish: kyllin — enough, adequate
  • German: genug — enough, adequate
  • Ancient Greek: ἀρκετός (arketós) — enough, adequate
  • Hindi: पर्याप्त (paryāpt) — enough, adequate
  • Māori: rawaka — enough, adequate
  • Marathi: पुरेसे (purese) — enough, adequate
  • Russian: достаточно (dostatočno) — enough, adequate
  • Dutch: genoeg — the smallest quantity needed
  • Finnish: riittävästi — the smallest quantity needed
  • German: genug — the smallest quantity needed
  • Hindi: पर्याप्त (paryāpt) — the smallest quantity needed
  • Japanese: 最小限の (saishōgen no) — the smallest quantity needed
  • Manx: dy liooar — the smallest quantity needed
  • Russian: в достатке (v dostatke) — the smallest quantity needed
  • Russian: достаточно (dostatočno) — the smallest quantity needed
  • Sanskrit: पर्याप्त (paryāpta) — the smallest quantity needed
Real reading context

sufficient in complete knowledge articles