poverty
n. uncountablen. the state of being extremely poor. It means not having enough money for basic needs like food, clothing, or a place to live.
n. the state of being extremely poor, characterized by a lack of means to meet basic needs. Often used in socio-economic contexts to describe systemic deprivation.
Many families in the region live in extreme poverty.
The government introduced new programs to help people escape poverty by providing better access to education and jobs.
While the nation's overall wealth has increased, the persistent cycle of generational poverty remains a significant challenge for urban planners and social workers alike.
From Middle English poverte, from Old French poverté (Modern French pauvreté), from Latin paupertās, from pauper (“poor”) + -tas (“noun of state suffix”). Cognates include pauper, poor.
Typically uncountable; however, it can be used with 'of' to describe a lack of a specific quality, such as 'a poverty of ideas'.