scant

/ˈskant/

Middle English, from Old Norse skamt, neuter of skammr short

adjective

  1. excessively frugal

  2. not prodigal : chary

  3. barely or scarcely sufficient; especially : not quite coming up to a stated measure

meager scanty scant skimpy spare sparse mean falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable. meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency. scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent.

adverb

  1. scarcely, hardly

verb

  1. to provide an incomplete supply of

  2. to make small, narrow, or meager

  3. to give scant attention to : slight