scant

 
Pronunciation: /skant/

adjective

  • barely sufficient or adequate: companies with scant regard for the safety of future generations
  • [attributive] barely amounting to a specified number or quantity: she weighed a scant two pounds

verb

[with object] chiefly North American
  • provide grudgingly or in insufficient amounts: he does not scant his attention to the later writings
  • deal with inadequately; neglect: the press regularly scants a host of issues relating to safety and health

Derivatives

scantly

adverb

scantness

noun

Origin:

Middle English: from Old Norse skamt, neuter of skammr 'short'