impoverish

[ im-pov-er-ish, -pov-rish ]
/ ɪmˈpɒv ər ɪʃ, -ˈpɒv rɪʃ /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR impoverish ON THESAURUS.COM

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

1400–50; late Middle English empoverishen < Middle French empovriss- (long stem of empovrir), equivalent to em- em-1 + povre poor + -iss -ish2

OTHER WORDS FROM impoverish

im·pov·er·ish·er, noun im·pov·er·ish·ment, noun

Words nearby impoverish

imposure, impotence, impotent, impound, impoundment, impoverish, impoverished, impower, impracticable, impractical, imprecate

Words related to impoverishment

hardship, insolvency, privation, famine, depletion, scarcity, starvation, distress, lack, dearth, vacancy, deficiency, want, pass, need, emptiness, bankruptcy, inadequacy, indigence, reduction

Example sentences from the Web for impoverishment

British Dictionary definitions for impoverishment

impoverish
/ (ɪmˈpɒvərɪʃ) /

verb (tr)

to make poor or diminish the quality of to impoverish society by cutting the grant to the arts
to deprive (soil, etc) of fertility

Derived forms of impoverish

impoverisher, noun impoverishment, noun

Word Origin for impoverish

C15: from Old French empovrir, from povre poor