depauperate

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes
US /dɪˈpɔpərɪt/ UK /dɪˈpɔːpərət/
adj

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    impoverished or imperfectly developed, especially of a flora or organism

    The volcanic island has a depauperate fauna of only a few species.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 adj · impoverished or imperfectly... impoverishedstuntedreducedundevelopedsparsemeager
Word family
Related forms pauperpovertyimpoverish

Etymology

From Medieval Latin depauperatus, past participle of depauperare ('to impoverish'), from de- (intensive) plus pauperare ('to make poor'), from pauper ('poor').

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