noun
scarcity
SKAIR-suh-tee/ˈskersəti/
A shortage of something needed or wanted.
The lone loaf and empty baskets reveal a scarcity of bread.
Etymology
Escarcete was a noun derived from eschars, “scanty, scarce.” It names the condition of having too little available, turning a description of limited quantity into a word for shortage.
In context
abundance the most charitable instincts in all of us are easily triggered and nurtured when we feel like we have plenty to share and oftentimes a point of view of scarcity is self-doubt it's fear the future
More examples
- A scarcity of affordable housing drives rents higher.
- The bakery closes early because of a scarcity of flour.
- Scarcity makes these vintage stamps more valuable.
Forms
scarcity · scarcities
scarce adjective — Not available in sufficient amounts.
Similar words
- shortage
- Emphasizes a specific gap between supply and demand.
- lack
- Can mean complete absence, not just insufficient supply.