impoverished
[ im-pov-er-isht, -pov-risht ]
/ ɪmˈpɒv ər ɪʃt, -ˈpɒv rɪʃt /
adjective
reduced to poverty.
(of a country, area, etc.) having few trees, flowers, birds, wild animals, etc.
deprived of strength, vitality, creativeness, etc.: an impoverished attempt at humor.
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Nearby words
impotence, impotent, impound, impoundment, impoverish, impoverished, impoverishment, impower, impracticable, impractical, imprecate
Origin of impoverished
Related formsun·im·pov·er·ished, adjective
Definition for impoverished (2 of 2)
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.
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 impoverished
British Dictionary definitions for impoverished
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
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for impoverished
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