poor
- 01 A1 Beginner
adj.having very little money or few possessions.
adj.lacking sufficient money or possessions to live at a standard considered comfortable or normal in a society.
Simple“The charity provides food and clothing for poor families in the city.”
In context“The government introduced new subsidies to support poor households struggling with the rising costs of heating and electricity.”
- 02 A2 Elementary
adj.not good; of a low standard.
adj.of a low standard or inferior quality; lacking in skill or ability.
Simple“He failed the exam because of his poor study habits.”
In context“The bridge was closed indefinitely after engineers discovered it had been constructed with poor materials that were now failing.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
adj.used to show you feel sorry for someone.
adj.deserving of pity or sympathy; used to express compassion for someone's misfortune.
Simple“That poor dog has been waiting in the rain for hours.”
In context“The poor man lost everything in the fire, leaving him with nothing but the clothes he was wearing at the time.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.not having enough of a particular thing, like nutrients or information.
adj.deficient in a specific substance, quality, or ingredient.
Simple“The soil in this area is very poor in minerals, so plants don't grow well.”
In context“The report was criticised for being poor in detail, failing to provide the specific data points required for a thorough analysis.”
- 05 B1 Intermediate
n.people who have very little money, when talked about as a group.
n.a collective noun referring to people who live in poverty. Always used with the definite article 'the'.
Simple“The new law aims to provide better healthcare for the poor.”
In context“The gap between the rich and the poor has widened significantly over the last decade, leading to increased social tension.”
PitfallHe wants to help the poors. He wants to help the poor.When 'poor' is used as a noun for a group of people, it is always 'the poor' and never takes an 's'.
Synonymsthe needythe impoverishedAntonymsthe richthe wealthy
Usage poor conditions · poor health · poor quality
Inherited from Middle English povre, povere, from Old French (and Anglo-Norman) povre, poure, from Latin pauper, from Old Latin pavo-pars (literally “getting little”), from Proto-Indo-European peh₂w- (“few, small”). Doublet of pauper. Displaced native arm, wantsome, Middle English unlede (“poor”) (from Old English unlǣde), Middle English unweli, unwely (“poor, unwealthy”) (from Old English un- + weliġ (“well-to-do, prosperous, rich”)).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.