Monday words: paucity vs. dearth

[ersatz-read.livejournal.com]

By the time I noticed I'd forgotten to post last week's Monday word, it was Wednesday.  So, two words this week.

paucity (pô′sĭ-tē), noun
1. Smallness of number; fewness.
2. Smallness of quantity.

Etymology:  1400s, from Latin paucus, few, little.

dearth (dûrth), noun
1.  Scarcity that makes dear.
2. Famine

Etymology:  1200s, from Middle English derthe, costly or dear.

It is not a paucity of vacation days that keeps me at the office; it is the dearth of good opportunities to leave for an extended period without the fear of returning to screaming chaos.

Comments

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

Short shameful confession: I usually misspell it as derth.

Good words, and I'm sorry about your work.

---L.