1. the state or condition of being poor; poverty
Usage: formal or literary
2. paupers collectively; the class of poor people
Usage: formal or archaic

Examples

• The industrial revolution lifted many families out of pauperdom.
• Social welfare programs aim to reduce pauperdom in urban areas.
• He fell into pauperdom after losing his business.
• The novel depicts the harsh realities of pauperdom in Victorian England.
• Education is often seen as a path away from pauperdom.