scarcity

American  

[skair-si-tee] / ˈskɛər sɪ ti /

noun

plural

scarcities

1. insufficiency or shortness of supply; dearth.

   Synonyms:

   paucity, lack, want, shortage

2. rarity; infrequency.

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scarcity British  

/ ˈskɛəsɪtɪ /

noun

1. inadequate supply; dearth; paucity

2. rarity or infrequent occurrence

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Other Word Forms

• nonscarcity noun

Etymology

Origin of scarcity

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English scarsete(e), from Old North French escarsete; equivalent to scarce + -ity

Compare meaning

How does scarcity compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• scarcity vs. shortage

Example Sentences

But the scarcity of these sites combined with growing AI workloads is changing this dynamic, making proximity to a reliable power source more important.

From The Wall Street Journal

We all have inherited beliefs about money that impact how we handle our own lives as adults, and Wolny’s lower-income upbringing gave him a scarcity mentality as his base.

From MarketWatch

Breaks in the action provided time for commercials and a scarcity of games made each a spectacle.

From The Wall Street Journal

For starters, he says discipline in the sector remains very good, and as long as governments continue to run large fiscal deficits scarcity will remain a dominant theme.

From The Wall Street Journal

Central to discussions has been the reliance on English willow and the scarcity in availability of it, which has led to price rises in recent years.

From BBC

Related Words

• dearth
• drought
• famine
• inadequacy
• insufficiency
• lack
• paucity
• shortage