An extremely poor person who relies on charity or public assistance to survive.
From Latin 'pauper' meaning 'poor,' of uncertain origin. The word entered English in the Middle Ages and became associated with workhouses and poorhouses.
Victorian poorhouses called 'pauper farms' literally worked poor people to death as punishment for being poor—showing how 'pauper' was once a legal status tied to severe social penalties.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.