[in sing.]a scarcity or lack of something 缺乏,不足 there is a dearth of evidence. 缺乏证据。 [mass noun]times of dearth. 物资缺乏时期。 ■(archaic)a situation where food is in short supply (古)食物短缺;饥荒
语源
Middle English derthe (originally in the sense 'shortage and dearness of food')(see dear, -th)