scanty

American  

[skan-tee] / ˈskæn ti /

adjective

scantier, scantiest

1. scant in amount, quantity, etc.; barely sufficient.

   Antonyms:

   ample, plentiful

2. meager; not adequate.

   Antonyms:

   ample, plentiful

3. lacking amplitude in extent or compass.

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noun

plural

scanties

1. scanties, very brief underpants, especially for women.

scanty British  

/ ˈskæntɪ /

adjective

1. limited; barely enough; meagre

2. insufficient; inadequate

3. lacking fullness; small

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Related Words

Scanty, meager, sparse refer to insufficiency or deficiency in quantity, number, etc. Scanty denotes smallness or insufficiency of quantity, number, supply, etc.: a scanty supply of food. Meager indicates that something is poor, stinted, or inadequate: meager fare; a meager income. Sparse applies particularly to that which grows thinly or is thinly strewn or sown, often over a wide area: sparse vegetation; a sparse population.

Other Word Forms

• scantily adverb
• scantiness noun
• unscanty adjective

Etymology

Origin of scanty

First recorded in 1650–60; scant + -y ¹; scanty ( def. 4 ) blend of scanty and panties

Explanation

We refer to an amount or thing that is not quite enough as scanty, or lacking. It's an adjective used to describe something that doesn't offer enough, as in "farmers having a scanty crop in a drought year." The adjective scanty comes from the Old Norse scamt, which means "short or brief," and so suggests a small amount. The word usually suggests a meager amount, and can refer to anything that is barely sufficient. Someone trying to stretch a meal might offer scanty servings. On a humorous note, a Roaring Twenties flapper referred to her underwear as scanties.

Example Sentences

Much of it was placed underground and reliable analysis on how much they have is scanty, but Shapiro believed the Chinese might have 1.2 billion barrels stockpiled — 104 days of storage.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

Reliable data is scanty, but experts point to a 2009 government estimate of an export "capacity" of 800 tonnes -- enough to make the trade highly lucrative.

From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025

While a few successful experiments had been reported by hobbyists in Australia and Germany, details were scanty.

From Slate • Aug. 19, 2025

India's data is scanty, officially recording around 38,000 drowning deaths in 2022, though the actual number is likely much higher.

From BBC • Jan. 26, 2025

“A rock path and a scanty one at that. I’m sorry, but I’d have to show you—which means I’d have to come with you. I don’t mind. It’s what a—a friend would do.”

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

Related Words

• insufficient
• meager
• scant
• skimpy
• sparse