Definition of 'poor'
Word forms: comparative poorer
, superlative poorest
2. adjective
3. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
[feelings]
4. adjective
5. adjective
If you describe an amount, rate, or number as poor, you mean that it is less than expected or less than is considered reasonable.
6. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
You use poor to describe someone who is not very skilful in a particular activity.
7. adjective
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
poor
poor in British English
adjective
1.
a.
4. (when postpositive, usually foll by in)
a region poor in wild flowers
5.
lacking in quality; inferior
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
poorness (ˈpoorness) noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French povre, from Latin pauper; see pauper, povertypoor in American English
adjective
1.
a.
lacking material possessions; having little or no means to support oneself; needy; impoverished
b.
indicating or characterized by poverty
2.
lacking in some quality or thing
; specif.,
d.
lacking excellence or worth; below average, inferior, bad, etc. or paltry, mean, insignificant, etc.
e.
g.
lacking skill
3.
worthy of pity; unfortunate
Idioms:
SYNONYMY NOTE: poor is the simple, direct term for one who lacks the resources for reasonably comfortable
living; impoverished (see impoverish) is applied to one who having once had plenty is now reduced to poverty [an impoverished aristocrat]; destitute implies such great poverty that the means for mere subsistence, such as food and
shelter, are lacking [left destitute by the war]; impecunious applies to one in a habitual state of poverty and suggests that this results from
personal practices [an impecunious gambler]; indigent implies such relative poverty as results in a lack of luxuries and the endurance
of hardships [books for indigent children] OPPOSITES: rich, wealthy
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
poorness (ˈpoorness)
noun
poor in American English
(pur) (adjective -er, -est)
adjective
1.
having little or no money, goods, or other means of support
a poor family living on welfare
4.
characterized by or showing poverty
5.
deficient or lacking in something specified
a region poor in mineral deposits
12.
scanty, meager, or paltry in amount or number
a poor audience
14.
unfortunate; hapless
The poor dog was limping
15. See poor as a church mouse
16. See poor as Job's turkey
noun
In the North and North Midland U.S., the vowel of poor is most often (u). poor and sure thus contrast with pour and shore: (pur), (ʃur) versus (pɔr), (ʃɔr) or (pour), (ʃour). In the South Midland and South, the vowel of poor is generally (ɔ) or (ou) (often with the final (r) dropped), which means that in these areas, poor and pour are homophones, as are sure and shore. Both types of pronunciation exist in the British Isles.17. (used with a pl. v.; usually prec. by the)
poor persons collectively
sympathy for the poor
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
poorness noun
Examples of 'poor' in a sentence
poor
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
Quotations
The poor always ye have with you Bible: St. John
Poor and content is rich and rich enoughOthello
More idioms containing
poor
Trends of
poor
View usage for:
In other languages
poor
British English: poor
/pɔːˌ pʊə/ ADJECTIVE
Someone who is poor has very little money and few possessions.
The reason our schools cannot afford better teachers is because people here are poor.
- American English: poor /ˈpʊər/
- Arabic: فَقِير
- Brazilian Portuguese: pobre
- Chinese: 贫穷的
- Croatian: siromašan
- Czech: chudý
- Danish: fattig
- Dutch: arm
- European Spanish: pobre
- Finnish: köyhä
- French: pauvre
- German: arm
- Greek: φτωχός
- Italian: povero
- Japanese: 貧しい
- Korean: 가난한
- Norwegian: fattig
- Polish: biedny
- European Portuguese: pobre
- Romanian: sărac
- Russian: бедный
- Latin American Spanish: pobre
- Swedish: fattig
- Thai: ยากจน
- Turkish: yoksul
- Ukrainian: бідний
- Vietnamese: nghèo
Browse alphabetically
poor
Source
Definition of poor from the Collins English Dictionary
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
lead or led?
Which version is correct?
coffee or tea?
Which version is correct?
did or done?
Which version is correct?
farther or father?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
farther
father
My sisters moved even away from home.
to or too or two?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
two
to
too
He is now married with children.
Your score:
Word of the day
god game
a computer roleplaying game in which the player controls the destiny of one or more avatars within a large virtual environment
9 new words in Collins Dictionary
There is a scientific bent to 9 new words added to the Collins Online Dictionary, including three types of 'blot' tests, and words relating to electric vehicles.
Read more
Brush up on your Latin this Back to School
With the UK running a pilot study into teaching Latin in state schools, we look at common Latin phrases still in use today.
Read more
A little bird told me… 7 animal idioms
It’s new words time at Collins Dictionary and this month we see the addition of words like fingerling, net zero and emotional support animal. This month, there were a few animal-related additions.
Read more
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more
Join the Collins community
All the latest wordy news, linguistic insights, offers and competitions every month.
Read more
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
foul or fowl?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
fowl
foul
Carve the into eight pieces.
scene or seen?
Which version is correct?
gait or gate?
Which version is correct?
miner or minor?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
miner
minor
I watched as each coal was brought to safety.
manner or manor?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
manner
manor
She smiled again in a friendly .
Your score: