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A dearth of something is a lack or scarcity of it.

The word is especially used in serious situations in which there is a shortage of something important. It is usually followed by of and the thing that is lacking, as in a dearth of resources or a dearth of clean water.��

Much less commonly, dearth is used in a more specific way to refer to a scarcity of food—a famine.

Example: The dearth of teachers has resulted in large class sizes.

The first records of the word dearth come from the 1200s. It comes from the Middle English word derthe. It’s essentially a combination of the adjective dear, in its outdated sense of “scarce” or “difficult to get,” and the suffix -th, which is used to turn adjectives into nouns, as in strength and depth.

Dearth can be used in contexts involving both the shortage of tangible things, as in There’s a dearth of medical clinics in the region, and intangible ones, as in There’s a dearth of research on the subject. In any case, it usually involves a shortage that’s serious and could cause problems. The words lack and scarcity are close synonyms, but they’re less formal.

What are some synonyms for dearth?

• lack
• scarcity
• shortage
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• paucity
• famine

What are some words that share a root or word element with dearth?��

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• dear

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What are some words that often get used in discussing dearth?

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• resources
• research
• information
• inadequate
• supply
• suffer
• available

Dearth is a somewhat formal term, but it can be used in everyday conversation. It’s often used in a serious context.

My latest: In , autism researchers battle a dearth of resources — and a wealth of misinformation and stigma

— Claire Helen Cameron (@ClaireHCameron)

The dearth of information coming out of the White House about Trump's health has sparked a flurry of rumors among Washington diplomats — and concerns that U.S. adversaries may take advantage of the moment. via

— TIMEPolitics (@TIMEPolitics)

There is a dearth of leadership in this country. The media is not immune to it.

— Sebenzile Nkambule (@SebeNkambule)

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Is dearth used correctly in the following sentence?��

There are dearth resources to address this issue.