derthe

Middle English

Alternative forms

• derth, derþ, derþe, dierþe, dyrthe

Etymology

From West Saxon Old English *dīerþ, *dīerþu and Anglian Old English *dēorþ, *dēorþu, from Proto-West Germanic *diuriþu, from Proto-Germanic *diuriþō; equivalent to dere +‎ -the (abstract nominal suffix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɛrθ(ə)/, /ˈdirθ(ə)/, /ˈdɛːrθ(ə)/, /ˈdeːrθ(ə)/, /-ð(ə)/
• (Late ME also) IPA^(key): /ˈdarθ(ə)/

Noun

derthe (uncountable)

1. A period or condition when food is rare and hence expensive; famine.
2. (by extension) Scarcity; a lack or short supply (of a specified thing)
3. (rare) Amazingness, success, magnificence.

Descendants

• English: dearth
• Scots: dearth, darth, deart, daart

References

• “derth(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-06-30.