noun
poverty
PAH-ver-tee/ˈpɑːvərti/
A shortage of the money or resources required for basic needs.
The family lives in poverty and struggles to afford enough food.
Etymology
The root also underlies poor; the ending names the condition rather than the person. Poverty has long meant insufficiency of money or goods.
In context
it's California one in five residents is poor what is Jerry Brown doing about poverty in California
More examples
- Steady work helps many families escape poverty.
- Children growing up in poverty often lack reliable health care.
- The program aims to reduce poverty by making housing more affordable.
Forms
poor adjective — Lacking enough money to meet basic needs.
Similar words
- destitution
- Means extreme poverty, with almost no resources for basic survival.
- deprivation
- Emphasizes going without necessities, whether from poverty or other causes.