scantily

the adverb 'scantily' is built upon the adjective 'scanty', which itself derives from the older adjective 'scant'. 'scant' entered middle english from old norse 'skammr', meaning short, and its neuter form 'skamt'. the underlying sense is of something being cut short or made brief, leading to the meaning of insufficiency. the '-y' suffix (represented here by the connective 'i') forms the adjective 'scanty', meaning 'barely sufficient'. finally, the prolific old english adverbial suffix '-ly' is added, transforming it into an adverb that describes the manner of being done insufficiently or, when applied to clothing, in a revealing way that provides little cover.

Structure: scant (barely sufficient) + i (connective) + ly (adverb suffix) - scant: from old norse 'skamt', neuter of 'skammr' (short, brief). functions as the core adjective/adverb root meaning 'barely sufficient or adequate'. - i: a connective vowel with no independent meaning, used to form the adjective 'scanty'. - ly: from old english '-līc' (having the form or qualities of). functions as an adverb-forming suffix.