Escassa

Escassa is a Portuguese adjective meaning scarce or sparse, used to describe a limited amount of something or a shortage. It is the feminine form of escasso; the masculine form is escasso, and the plural forms are escassos (masculine) and escassas (feminine). It is commonly used with feminine nouns, as in água escassa, fontes escassas, tempo escasso, or oportunidades escassas.

Etymology and cognates: escassa and escasso come from the same Latin root as the Spanish escaso and Italian scarso. The noun escassez, meaning scarcity, is closely related in meaning and usage.

Usage: In everyday and formal language, escassa conveys a clear sense of insufficiency or limited availability. It can modify resources, time, opportunities, or conditions: recursos escassos, tempo escasso, abastecimento escasso. It is suitable for environmental, economic, and social contexts to emphasize shortage or constraint.

See also: escasso; escassez; in related Romance languages, cognate terms include Spanish escaso and Italian scarso.