adjective
scant
skant
adjective
1
Barely enough; in short supply.
"They survived on scant rations for weeks."
"The report gave scant attention to the victims."
2
Just short of the stated amount; a little less than exact.
"The recipe calls for a scant cup of flour."
How to Use Scant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNot quite enough of something — a small, insufficient amount.
Easily confused with
scantly
scanty
Common pairings
scant regard
scant resources
scant evidence
Word Forms
scanter comparative, scanted past tense, scants plural, scants singular, scantest superlative
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Etymology
From Old Norse skammr, meaning "short" — the same ancient root that gives us the idea of something falling just short.