scanty Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun short underpants for women or children (usually used in the plural)
    pantie; panty; step-in.
  2. adjective satellite lacking in amplitude or quantity
    spare; bare.
    • a bare livelihood
    • a scanty harvest
    • a spare diet

WordNet

Scant"y adjective
Etymology
From Scant, a.
Wordforms
comparative Scantier ; superlative Scantiest
Definitions
  1. Wanting amplitude or extent; narrow; small; not abundant.
    his dominions were very narrow and scanty. Locke.
    Now scantier limits the proud arch confine. Pope.
  2. Somewhat less than is needed; insufficient; scant; as, a scanty supply of words; a scanty supply of bread.
  3. Sparing; niggardly; parsimonius.
    In illustrating a point of difficulty, be not too scanty of words. I. Watts.
    Syn. -- Scant; narrow; small; poor; deficient; meager; scarce; chary; sparing; parsimonious; penurious; niggardly; grudging.

Webster 1913