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 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 In many cases, the spoils of war have turned former paupers into extremely wealthy individuals. Peter Salisbury, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2018 Greer is predominantly livid that her son is marrying a pauper—even the housekeeper sneers at the fruit basket Amelia’s parents bring—until a body washes up on the shore. Raven Smith, Vogue, 11 Sep. 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 13 Dec. 2024.

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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