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Added 9 October 2026

poverty

/ˈpɒvəti/ noun

In Latin: paupertās, pauperiēs Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about poverty at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The quality or state of being poor; lack of money
get into poverty
A deficiency of something needed or desired
poverty of soil

Origin

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

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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