'scantily-made' originates from Modern English, specifically from the adverb 'scantily' (formed from 'scant' + suffix '-ily') and the past participle 'made' (from the verb 'make'), where 'scant' conveyed the idea of 'limited' or 'meager' and 'made' is the past form of 'make'.

'scant' changed from Old Norse word 'skamt' into Middle English as 'scant' (meaning 'short' or 'limited'), and 'make' comes from Old English 'macian' which evolved through Middle English 'maken' into modern 'make' with past 'made'; the compound 'scantily-made' developed in Modern English by combining 'scantily' with 'made'.

Initially, 'scant' meant 'short' or 'limited' and 'made' simply indicated something was produced; over time the compound 'scantily-made' evolved to mean 'constructed with too little material or care' and, in contexts of clothing, 'made to reveal or provide little coverage'.