pauvre

Danish

Adjective

pauvre

1. definite of pauver
2. plural of pauver

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French pauvre, relatinisation of earlier povre, from Old French povre, inherited from Latin pauper, from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂w- (“few, small”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /povʁ/

• audio

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Adjective

pauvre (plural pauvres)

1. (after a noun) poor (financially deprived)
2. (after a noun) lacking, scanty
3. (before a noun) poor, pitiable
4. (derogatory) Used before epithets, describing the person being addressed, for emphasis.

   Synonym: sale

   pauvre con ― you twat, you moron, you idiot

Usage notes

• This adjective belongs to a group of French adjectives whose position relative to a noun changes depending on its meaning. When positioned before the noun, it is used to describe the state of being pitiable (e.g., Mon pauvre garçon!), whereas when positioned after the noun (like most French adjectives), it refers to the lack of resources (e.g., Il était un fermier pauvre quand il était jeune.).

Derived terms

• appauvrir
• parent pauvre
• pauvre comme Job
• pauvre de
• pauvreté

 

Related terms

• paupérisation

Noun

pauvre m (plural pauvres, feminine pauvresse)

1. poor person; pauper
2. person deserving of pity

Further reading

• “pauvre”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• vapeur

Norman

Etymology

From Old French povre, from Latin pauper, pauperem.

Adjective

pauvre m or f

1. (Jersey) poor

Synonyms

• pouôrre

Derived terms

• pauvrément (“poorly”)