impoverishment Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the state of having little or no money and few or no material possessions
    poverty; poorness.
  2. noun the act of making someone poor
    pauperization; pauperisation.

WordNet

Im*pov"er*ish*ment noun
Etymology
Cf. OF. empoverissement, and F. appauvrissement.
Definitions
  1. The act of impoverishing, or the state of being impoverished; reduction to poverty. Sir W. Scott.

Webster 1913