pauper

noun

pau·​per ˈpȯ-pər How to pronounce pauper (audio)
1
: a person destitute of means except such as are derived from charity
specifically : one who receives aid from funds designated for the poor
paupers on welfare
2
: a very poor person
pauperism noun

Examples of pauper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Frasers find out that Jane has been buried in an unmarked grave in a pauper’s field, news that devastates Frances. Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 17 Jan. 2025 He was made to leave a pauper after years of hard work. Kanak Kapur, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2025 The age-old philosophy, eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper was adhered to, meaning dinner was the lightest meal, as the digestive tract slows down towards the end of the day. Yasemen Kaner-White, theweek, 25 Oct. 2024 The mother of one of those men, Jonathan Hankins, confronted Grisham-Stewart in February at the county's pauper's field. Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pauper 

Word History

Etymology

Latin, poor — more at poor

First Known Use

1516, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pauper was in 1516

Dictionary Entries Near pauper

Cite this Entry

“Pauper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pauper. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

pauper

noun
pau·​per ˈpȯ-pər How to pronounce pauper (audio)
: a very poor person
especially : one supported by charity
pauperism noun
pauperize
-ˌrīz
verb

Legal Definition

pauper

noun
pau·​per ˈpȯ-pər How to pronounce pauper (audio)
: a person who is destitute and relying on charity
specifically : a person who is relieved of the costs and expenses of a court proceeding because of poverty

More from Merriam-Webster on pauper

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