scarceness

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UK/ˈskɛəsnəs/US/ˈskɛɚsnəs/

noun

The property of being scarce; dearth, rarity.

Similar
scarcity
OriginMiddle English scarsnesse →
Scrabble 14
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Meanings

nounscarceness (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe property of being scarce; dearth, rarity.

    The value of an advantage is enhanced by its scarceness.

    c. 1700, Jeremy Collier, A Moral Essay upon Pride

    Synonyms: scarcity

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe property of being scarce; dearth, rarity.

Similar
scarcity

More synonyms by meaning

nouna small and inadequate amount

Similar
scarcity
Broader
insufficiencyinadequacydeficiency
Also see
scarcity

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Middle Englishscarsnesse
  2. Englishscarceness

Inherited from Middle English scarsnesse; by surface analysis, scarce + ness.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

scarceness. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scarceness

MLA

“scarceness.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scarceness. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “scarceness,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scarceness.

Source: scarceness on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.