Penury
Extreme poverty; the state of lacking the basic necessities of life such as food, shelter, and clothing.
nounPenury
Extreme poverty; the state of lacking the basic necessities of life such as food, shelter, and clothing.
nounImagine This
During the Great Depression, migrant workers had to work for hours to earn a few pennies, for poverty was everywhere.
Sounds Like
PEN-yuh-ree
Looks Like
Penny (a copper coin that is worth very little)
Remember This
Penury comes from Latin penuria meaning 'poverty, want'; it is a formal, literary term. The related adjective penurious describes someone extremely penny-pinching or poverty-stricken.
Other Forms
Connect With
destitution, indigence, poverty, want, deprivation
Note
Penury is a noun used to describe severe poverty. It is more common in literary or formal writing. Do not confuse with ‘penurious,’ which describes stinginess or frugality in addition to poverty. The plural is not typically used.