US /ˈbɛɡəri/ UK /ˈbɛɡəri/
noun

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    the state of extreme poverty or destitution

    Gambling debts reduced the once-rich family to beggary.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
Word family
Related forms beggarbegbeggarly

Etymology

From beggar + the noun suffix -y. Beggar is from Middle English beggere, from beg + -ar, the verb beg being of uncertain origin.

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