— scantily , adv. — scantiness , n.
/skan"tee/ , adj., scantier, scantiest . n. , pl. scanties .
adj.
1. scant in amount, quantity, etc.; barely sufficient.
2. meager; not adequate.
3. lacking amplitude in extent or compass.
n.
4. scanties , very brief underpants, esp. for women.
[ 1650-60; SCANT + -Y 1 ; (def. 4) b. scanty and PANTIES ]
Syn. 1, 2. SCANTY, MEAGER, SPARSE refer to insufficiency or deficiency in quantity, number, etc. SCANTY denotes smallness or insufficiency of quantity, number, supply, etc.: a scanty supply of food. MEAGER indicates that something is poor, stinted, or inadequate: meager fare; a meager income. SPARSE applies particularly to that which grows thinly or is thinly strewn or sown, often over a wide area: sparse vegetation; a sparse population.
Ant. 1, 2. plentiful, ample.