impecunious
adjective
Having little or no money; poor and without financial resources. A formal or slightly humorous way to describe being broke.
Etymology
From Latin "in" (not) + "pecuniosus" (wealthy), from "pecunia" (money), from "pecus" (cattle)—cattle were early currency.
Examples in Use
- 1.
"The impecunious artist survived on the generosity of patrons."
- 2.
"Despite his impecunious youth, he became extremely wealthy."
- 3.
"Impecunious students often work multiple jobs to pay tuition."
Related Vocabulary
Synonyms
Related Words
Fun Fact
The connection between "pecuniary" and "pecus" (cattle) appears in many languages. Latin "capital" comes from "caput" (head)—counting heads of cattle. Wealth was literally measured in livestock.
Word Game Tips
Letters: 11 letters (I, M, P, E, C, U, N, I, O, U, S)
Scrabble Value: 17 points
Tip: Try building from common prefixes or suffixes when you spot these letters.
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