pauper
UK: ˈpɔːpə | US: ˈpɔːpər
n. a very poor person
n. (historical) a person receiving charity or public relief
The word "pauper" comes directly from Latin pauper, meaning "poor" or "having little." It combines pau- (related to paucus, "few") and -par (from parare, "to produce/get"). Originally, it described someone with scant resources. In English, it retained its core meaning but gained legal and social connotations, often referring to those dependent on charity.
The Victorian novel highlighted the struggles of a pauper in industrial London.
In ancient Rome, a pauper might rely on grain distributions from the state.
The court appointed a lawyer for the indigent pauper.
Many paupers sought refuge in workhouses during the 19th century.
His sudden bankruptcy reduced him from wealth to pauper status.