Scant

Pronunciation: /skænt/

Definitions of scant

adjective having a small or insufficient amount; barely sufficient

Example Sentences

A1 There was only a scant amount of food left in the fridge.

A2 She gave him a scant smile before turning away.

B1 The company provided only scant information about the new product.

B2 Despite the scant evidence, the detective was able to solve the case.

C1 The journalist's article was filled with scant details and vague references.

C2 The artist's work was criticized for its scant attention to detail.

Examples of scant in a Sentence

formal There is only a scant amount of evidence to support this theory.

informal I have only a scant idea of what to do next.

slang I have a scant chance of passing this test without studying.

figurative Her love for him was scant compared to her passion for her career.

Grammatical Forms of scant

• past tense: scanted
• plural: scants
• comparative: scantier
• superlative: scantiest
• present tense: scants
• future tense: will scant
• perfect tense: have scanted
• continuous tense: is scanting
• singular: scant
• positive degree: scant
• infinitive: to scant
• gerund: scanting
• participle: scanting

Origin and Evolution of scant

First Known Use: 0014 year

Language of Origin: Old Norse

Story behind the word: The word 'scant' originated from the Old Norse word 'skamt' meaning 'short, brief'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'scant' evolved to also include 'insufficient or not enough'.