An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Lacking an expected supply of something specified.

Etymology (EN): M.E. pov(e)re, from O.Fr. povre, from L. pauper “poor,” perhaps a compound of paucus “little” and parare “to get.”

Etymology (PE): Kam “little, few; deficient, wanting; scarce” (Mid.Pers. kam “little, small, few;” O.Pers./Av. kamna- “small, few,” related to
keh “small, little, slender” (related to kâstan, kâhidan “to decrease, lessen, diminish,” from Mid.Pers. kâhitan, kâstan, kâhênitan “to decrease, diminish, lessen;” Av. kasu- “small, little;” Proto-Iranian *kas- “to be small, diminish, lessen”) kamdâr, literally “having little possession,” from kam

• dâr “having, possessor,” from dâštan “to have, to possess,” Mid.Pers. dâštan; O.Pers./Av. root dar- “to hold, keep back, maintain, keep in mind;” Skt. dhr-, dharma- “law;”
  Gk. thronos “elevated seat, throne;” L. firmus “firm, stable;” Lith. daryti “to make;” PIE *dher- “to hold, support.”