Wordwyrt

scarcity

/ˈskeəsɪti/SKER-sih-tee
/ˈskɛɹsɪti/SKER-sih-tee

Meaningthe state of being scarce

Common meaning: a shortage

Journey through time

  1. Old Frenchescars‘scarce, needy’source
  2. Middle Englishscarssource
  3. Englishscarce‘in short supply’
  4. Englishformed in English from scarcescarcity‘a shortage’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from scarce + -ity.

Dictionary: Skeat (1898), SCARCE, p.529 · scan

Source words

  • escars Old French · source word “scanty, sparing”

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