noun
poverty
PO-vuh-tee
noun
1
The state of being poor; lacking enough money to meet basic needs.
"The charity works to reduce child poverty in the region."
"They grew up in poverty but never went hungry."
2
A serious lack of something needed or valued.
"The debate suffered from a poverty of new ideas."
How to Use Poverty
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNot having enough money or resources to live comfortably — or, more broadly, a serious lack of something.
Common pairings
live in poverty
poverty line
child poverty
Word Forms
poverties plural
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Etymology
From Old French poverté, from Latin paupertas, from pauper, "poor" — the same root as "pauper" and "poor".