poorhouse

[ poor-hous ]

noun,plural poor·hous·es [poor-hou-ziz]. /ˈpʊərˌhaʊ zɪz/.
  1. (formerly) an institution in which paupers were maintained at public expense.

Origin of poorhouse

1
First recorded in 1735–45; poor + house

Words Nearby poorhouse

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use poorhouse in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for poorhouse

poorhouse

/ (ˈpʊəˌhaʊs, ˈpɔː-) /


noun
  1. (formerly) a publicly maintained institution offering accommodation to the poor

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