dearth
n.n. a situation where there is very little of something, especially something that is needed or wanted. It is a more formal and older word than 'lack'.
n. a state of being very scarce or lacking in supply. Often used in formal or literary contexts to describe a shortage of essential resources or qualities.
There is a dearth of fresh water in this region.
The company is facing a severe dearth of skilled workers as the industry grows faster than the local workforce.
The sudden dearth of raw materials forced the factory to halt production until the supply chain could be stabilized through international trade agreements.
First attested at least as early as the late 1300s, and appearing in Tyndale’s Pentateuch (1530) as well as the Coverdale Bible (1535). From Middle English derth, derthe, derþe, probably from Old English dīerþ, dīerþu, from Proto-West Germanic diuriþu, from Proto-Germanic diuriþō (“costliness, preciousness, honour”); corresponding to dear + -th (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with Old Saxon diuriða (“glory, honour; preciousness”), West Frisian djoerte (“love, dearness, value, worth”), Dutch duurte (“dearness; scarcity, dearth”), Icelandic dýrð (“honour, glory”).