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Scarcest: meaning, definitions and examples

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scarcest

 

[ ˈskɛr.sɪst ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

resource availability

The term 'scarcest' denotes something that is in the lowest supply, indicating a situation where resources or items are limited and hard to find. It suggests urgency or high value due to the rarity of the item in question. 'Scarcest' is often used to describe natural resources, flora, or fauna that are at risk of extinction or depletion. The concept is significant in economics and conservation, underscoring the need for sustainable management of limited resources.

Synonyms

hardest to find, least available, rarest

Examples of usage

  • Water is one of the scarcest resources in arid regions.
  • The scarcest species are often the most heavily protected by law.
  • After the drought, food became the scarcest commodity in the area.

Translations

Translations of the word "scarcest" in other languages:

🇵🇹 mais escasso

🇮🇳 सबसे दुर्लभ

🇩🇪 am seltensten

🇮🇩 terlangka

🇺🇦 найрідкісніший

🇵🇱 najrzadszy

🇯🇵 最も希少な

🇫🇷 le plus rare

🇪🇸 el más escaso

🇹🇷 en nadir

🇰🇷 가장 희귀한

🇸🇦 الأكثر ندرة

🇨🇿 nejvzácnější

🇸🇰 najvzácnejší

🇨🇳 最稀有的

🇸🇮 najredkejši

🇮🇸 sjaldgæfast

🇰🇿 ең тапшы

🇬🇪 ყველაზე იშვიათი

🇦🇿 ən nadir

🇲🇽 el más escaso

Word origin

The word 'scarce' originates from the Latin term 'scarcius', which means 'at a short supply'. It has evolved through Middle English in forms like 'scarse', before taking its modern shape in the 16th century. The suffix '-est' is a superlative form used in English to denote the highest degree of an adjective, thus turning 'scarce' into 'scarcest' to indicate the extreme scarcity of a resource or item. Over centuries, the application of 'scarcest' has broadened, encompassing environmental discussions, economic theories, and resource management, reflecting society's increasing awareness of our planet's limited natural resources. With industrialization and population growth, the term has gained further importance in discussions about sustainability and conservation.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #37,538, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.