Poverty Definition, Usage & Related Words

Meaning 1：state of extreme need (poverty)

poverty 🔊

/ˈpɒvəti/

Poverty means not having enough money to pay for basic things in life like food, clothes, and a safe place to live.

Poverty illustrated by a humble, tidy room with simple necessities and warm light.

state of extreme need 🔊

➕

/steɪt əv ɪkˈstriːm niːd/

The condition of having very little or no money and few or no material possessions, preventing access to basic necessities like adequate food, shelter, and clothing.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old French 'povrete', from Latin 'paupertās' (scarcity), from 'pauper' (poor).

💡 Mnemonic

Think of a 'poor' person in a 'city' - they face poverty. Poverty begins with 'P-O-V', like a point of view from a position of need.

📖 Example

The government is investing in education and job training to help people escape poverty and build better lives for their families. 🔊 The government is allocating funds to education and vocational programs to assist individuals in leaving a state of severe material deprivation and creating improved living conditions for their families.

🔗 Collocations

poverty line – the minimum income level deemed necessary to afford the basic necessities of life.

poverty-stricken – extremely poor; severely affected by a lack of money and resources.

cycle of poverty – a set of factors or events by which poverty, once started, is likely to continue unless there is outside intervention.

🔄 Synonyms

destitution (n.) – Extreme poverty that deprives a person of the necessities of life.

penury (n.) – Extreme poverty to the point of lacking even the basic means of subsistence.

indigence (n.) – A serious lack of the material resources or money needed for a person to live decently.

🚫 Antonyms

wealth (n.) – An abundance of valuable possessions or money.

affluence (n.) – The state of having a great deal of money; wealth.

prosperity (n.) – The state of being successful, especially in terms of financial or material well-being.

🌱 Derivatives

poor (adj.) – Lacking sufficient money to live at a standard considered comfortable or normal in a society.

📖 Cultural Story

The word 'poverty' entered English in the 12th century via Old French 'povrete', which derived from the Latin 'paupertās'. In modern policy and economics, it is a central, measurable concept. Absolute poverty thresholds, like the World Bank's "$2.15 a day" line, are used globally to define and target aid.