impoverish

Etymology

From Middle English impoverishen, empoverishen, from Old French empoverir, from em- + povre, from Latin pauper (“poor”) (English poor).

Verb

impoverish (third-person singular simple present impoverishes, present participle impoverishing, simple past and past participle impoverished)

1. (transitive) Make poor.
2. (transitive) Weaken in quality; deprive of some strength or richness.

   That exuberant crop quickly impoverishes any fertile soil.

3. (intransitive) Become poor.

See also

• immiserate

Further reading

• impoverish in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• impoverish in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• impoverish at OneLook Dictionary Search