Etymology

Noun

1. A period or condition when food is rare and hence expensive; famine.
   • 1608, William Shakespeare, King Lear:

     I promise you, the effects he writes of succeed unhappily: as of unnaturalness between the child and the parent; death, dearth, dissolutions of ancient amities; divisions in state, menaces and maledictions against king and nobles; needless diffidences, banishment of friends, dissipation of cohorts, nuptial breaches, and I know not what.

2. Scarcity; a lack or short supply.
3. Dearness; the quality of being rare or costly.