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poverty

noun [U]
 
 
/ˈpɒv.ə.ti/ US  /ˈpɑː.vɚ.t̬i/

Definition

B2 the condition of being extremely poor: Two million people in the city live in abject (= very great) poverty. He emigrated to Australia to escape the grinding (= very great) poverty of his birthplace. Helping to alleviate poverty in developing countries also helps to reduce environmental destruction.Poverty and poor a poverty of sth formal a lack of something or when the quality of something is extremely low: There is a disappointing poverty of creativity in their work.Scarce, inadequate and not enoughLacking things
(Definition of poverty noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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