The DEAR- root here is doing something sneaky. If something is precious (dear), then scarcity drives up its value — so "dearth" captures both the lack AND the implied worth of what's missing. It's not just "there's less of it" but "there's less of something that matters."
The Vasudev quote lands differently with that etymology in mind. A dearth of love isn't just absence — it's the absence of something precious. The word carries the weight of what's missing.
Wow. I had no idea this was related to ‘dear’.
Does that mean I need to pronounce it ‘deerth’?
I wouldn't if I were you!
The DEAR- root here is doing something sneaky. If something is precious (dear), then scarcity drives up its value — so "dearth" captures both the lack AND the implied worth of what's missing. It's not just "there's less of it" but "there's less of something that matters."
The Vasudev quote lands differently with that etymology in mind. A dearth of love isn't just absence — it's the absence of something precious. The word carries the weight of what's missing.