impoverish
[ im-pov-er-ish, -pov-rish ]
/ ɪmˈpɒv ər ɪʃ, -ˈpɒv rɪʃ /
verb (used with object)
to reduce to poverty: a country impoverished by war.
to make poor in quality, productiveness, etc.; exhaust the strength or richness of: Bad farming practices impoverished the soil.
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Nearby words
imposure, impotence, impotent, impound, impoundment, impoverish, impoverished, impoverishment, impower, impracticable, impractical
Origin of impoverish
SYNONYMS FOR impoverish
Related formsim·pov·er·ish·er, nounim·pov·er·ish·ment, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for impoverish
British Dictionary definitions for impoverish
impoverish
/ (ɪmˈpɒvərɪʃ) /
verb (tr)
to make poor or diminish the quality ofto impoverish society by cutting the grant to the arts
to deprive (soil, etc) of fertility
Derived Formsimpoverisher, nounimpoverishment, noun
Word Origin for impoverish
C15: from Old French empovrir, from povre poor
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for impoverish
impoverish
early 15c., empoverischen, from Old French empoveriss-, stem of empoverir, from em- + povre "poor" (see poor). Related: Impoverished; impoverishing.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper