noun / verb
beggar
BEG-er/ˈbeɡər/
A person who seeks food or money through charity.
The beggar holds out a small cup toward a passing pedestrian.
Etymology
Old French begart referred to a Beghard, a member of a mendicant religious order. The ordinary sense “alms-seeker” may come from that name, though which name came first is disputed.
In context
was traveling about as a poor beggar and being very tired he stopped at the cottage of a Plowman to rest himself and asked for some food
More examples
- The story describes a merchant beggared by repeated losses.
- Their endless legal dispute threatens to beggar both families.
- The city establishes support services for people living as beggars.
Forms
beggar · beggars · beggared · beggaring
Similar words
- panhandler
- An American term for someone asking passersby for money.
- pauper
- Describes poverty without necessarily implying requests for charity.