penury
Use Penury in a sentence
yə Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin pēnūria; akin to Greek peîna hunger, penía poverty
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin pēnūria; akin to Greek peîna hunger, penía poverty
Synonyms
1. indigence, need, want.
1. indigence, need, want.
Antonyms
1. wealth.
1. wealth.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To penury
Collins
World English Dictionary
penury (ˈpɛnjʊrɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | extreme poverty |
| 2. | extreme scarcity |
| [C15: from Latin pēnūria dearth, of obscure origin] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Penury
is a GRE word you need to know.
So is gossamer. Does it mean:
| To refuse or deny oneself some rights, conveniences, etc.; reject; renounce. |
| a fine, filmy cobweb seen on grass or bushes or floating in the air in calm weather; any thin, light fabric with this quality |
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
penury
early 15c., from M.Fr. pénurie, from L. penuria "want, need," related to paene "scarcely."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
Example sentences
But this air of possibility amidst penury is in peril.
But in penury, arrogance and conceit may give way to humility, diplomacy and learning to be discreet.
The surplus faded away and they were reduced to penury.
Henceforth, though he never stood at the stake, he suffered the martyrdom of penury and distress.
Matching Quote
Nearby Words
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
