poverty

From Middle English, borrowed from Old French poverté (Modern French pauvreté), from Latin paupertās, from pauper (“poor”) + -tas (“noun of state suffix”). Cognates include pauper, poor.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpɒvəti/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈpɑːvɚti/

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poverty (usually uncountable, plural poverties)

1. The quality or state of being poor; lack of money
   • 2013 June 1, “Towards the end of poverty”, in The Economist‎, volume 407, number 8838, page 11:

     America’s poverty line is $63 a day for a family of four. In the richer parts of the emerging world $4 a day is the poverty barrier. But poverty’s scourge is fiercest below $1.25 (the average of the 15 poorest countries’ own poverty lines, measured in 2005 dollars and adjusted for differences in purchasing power): people below that level live lives that are poor, nasty, brutish and short.

2. Any deficiency of elements or resources that are needed or desired, or that constitute richness

   poverty of soil

   poverty of the blood

   poverty of spirit

• See also Thesaurus:poverty

• See also Thesaurus:wealth

• energy poverty
• poverty line
• poverty of the stimulus
• poverty-ridden
• poverty-stricken
• transport poverty

• poor
• poorness

• aporophobia