depauperate

English

Pronunciation

• (adjective) IPA^(key): /dɪˈpɔːpəɹət/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (verb) IPA^(key): /dɪˈpɔːpəɹeɪt/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

Etymology 1

From Middle English depauperat (“impoverished”), from Medieval Latin depauperātus (“impoverished”), past participle of depauperō (“to impoverish”), itself from Latin de- +‎ pauperō (“to impoverish”), from pauper (“poor”). Equivalent to de- +‎ pauper +‎ -ate (adjective-forming suffix). Cognate with Italian depauperare, Spanish depauperar.

Adjective

depauperate (comparative more depauperate, superlative most depauperate)

1. (botany, of a plant, etc.) Having stunted growth
2. (obsolete) Impoverished.
3. Having a limited biodiversity.
   • 2009, David Quammen, Where the Salmon Rule, National Geographic (August 2009), page 35,

     "...because of Kamchatka's isolation from mainland river systems, its streams are relatively depauperate of other fresh water fish, leaving Oncorhynchus species to face few competitors and predators."

Etymology 2

From the above adjective, see -ate for more. Equivalent to de- +‎ pauper +‎ -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Verb

depauperate (third-person singular simple present depauperates, present participle depauperating, simple past and past participle depauperated)

1. (obsolete) To impoverish.
   • 1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land. […], London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for H[enry] Mortlock […], and J[onathan] Robinson […], →OCLC:

     Liming […] does not so much depauperate; the ground will last long, and beareth larger grain.

   • 1678, Antiquitates Christianæ: Or, the History of the Life and Death of the Holy Jesus: […], London: […] E. Flesher, and R. Norton, for R[ichard] Royston, […], →OCLC:

     Humility of mind which depauperates the spirit.

2. To stunt the growth of.

Italian

Etymology 1

Verb

depauperate

1. inflection of depauperare:
   1. second-person plural present indicative
   2. second-person plural imperative

Etymology 2

Participle

depauperate f pl

1. feminine plural of depauperato

Spanish

Verb

depauperate

1. second-person singular voseo imperative of depauperar combined with te