1. institutions that provided housing and basic care for poor people, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries
Usage: historical

Examples

• Many families feared being sent to the poorhouses during the economic depression.
• The poorhouses were often overcrowded and provided only basic shelter and food.
• Local governments established poorhouses to care for destitute residents.
• Conditions in the poorhouses were harsh and designed to discourage dependency.
• The poorhouse system was eventually replaced by modern welfare programs.
• Historical records show that entire families sometimes lived in poorhouses together.