pauper

noun

pau·​per ˈpȯ-pər 

1

old-fashioned : a person destitute of means except such as are derived from charity

specifically : one who receives aid from funds designated for the poor

2

old-fashioned : a very poor person

… you'll wind up a pauper on skid row …

—Robert Bixby

pauperism

ˈpȯ-pə-ˌri-zəm 

noun

Examples of pauper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bournemouth are not a pauper club any more, but the performance this season has still be remarkable. —Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 25 May 2026

The Titanic is still a subject of worldwide fascination, in part because of the range of passengers aboard the ship, from paupers to plutocrats. —Jill Lawless, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026

The Titanic is still a subject of worldwide fascination, in part because of the range of passengers aboard the ship, from paupers to plutocrats. —CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026

This sudden outburst earns her a pauper’s grave, after she’s hauled out of the restaurant and shoved, accidentally or intentionally, down the stairs. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin, poor — more at poor

First Known Use

1516, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pauper

• chopper
• copper
• cropper
• dropper
• popper
• proper
• shopper
• stopper
• topper
• whopper
• eavesdropper
• grasshopper

Kids Definition

pauper

noun

pau·​per ˈpȯ-pər 

: a very poor person

especially : one supported by charity

pauperism

-pə-ˌriz-əm 

noun

pauperize

-ˌrīz

verb

Legal Definition

pauper

noun

pau·​per ˈpȯ-pər 

: 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