dearth — a scarcity or lack of something
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a scarcity or lack of something
Pronunciation (IPA): /dɜːrθ/
Example Sentences
- There's a dearth of parking spaces at the mall, so I had to park three blocks away.
- The company is facing a dearth of qualified applicants for the position.
- Despite the dearth of ingredients in my fridge, I managed to cook a decent meal.
dearth
NOUN[/dɜːrθ/]
a scarcity or lack of something
Severe shortage of bread
Dear cries at empty shelves - dearth means scarcity!
When there's a dearth on earth, we question its worth
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Middle English 'dearthe', derived from the adjective 'dere' (dear, costly) with the suffix '-th' forming abstract nouns. The root traces back to Old English 'deore' meaning expensive or precious, reflecting the sense of something being scarce and therefore costly.
Breakdown
dear (costly, scarce) + -th (abstract noun suffix) = dearth (scarcity, lack)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“There's a dearth of parking spaces at the mall, so I had to park three blocks away.”
“The company is facing a dearth of qualified applicants for the position.”
“Despite the dearth of ingredients in my fridge, I managed to cook a decent meal.”
“There's a dearth of good Netflix shows lately, so I've been rewatching The Office for the tenth time.”
📚Related Words
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