impoverish Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb make poor
  2. verb take away
    deprive.

WordNet

Im*pov"er*ish transitive verb
Etymology
OF. empovrir; pref. em- (L. in) + povre poor, F. pauvre; cf. OF. apovrir, F. appauvrir, where the prefix is a-, L. ad. Cf. Empoverish, and see Poor, and -ish.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Impoverished ; present participle & verbal noun Impoverishing
Definitions
  1. To make poor; to reduce to poverty or indigence; as, misfortune and disease impoverish families.
  2. To exhaust the strength, richness, or fertility of; to make sterile; as, to impoverish land.

Webster 1913