poverty

noun

PAH-vur-tee/ˈpɑːvɚti/UKPO-vuh-tee/ˈpɒvəti/

2 meanings of poverty

1
noununcountable
The state of being poor and not having enough money to live well.
Like having a wallet that always stays empty no matter how hard you try.
Many families in the city live in poverty and struggle to buy food.
The new factory jobs helped lift the town out of poverty.
Similardestitution, hardship, deprivation, want, need
Oppositewealth, affluence, prosperity, riches
2
noununcountable
A lack of something that is needed or wanted.
Like a toolbox that is missing the very tools you need.
The plan showed a real poverty of good ideas.
By the end of the game, the team played with a real poverty of energy.
Similarlack, dearth, paucity, shortage, scarcity
Oppositeabundance, wealth, richness, plenty

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Origin

It comes from Latin pauper, meaning "poor." This passed through Old French and Middle English into English.