古フランス語のpoverte「貧困」、「困窮」から。ラテン語のpauper「貧しい」、「小さい」が語源で、語源的にはpoorと同じ。
Seeing so much poverty everywhere makes me think that God is not rich. He gives the appearance of it, but I suspect some financial difficulties. [Victor Hugo, "Les Misérables," 1862]Poverty line attested from 1901; poverty trap from 1966; poverty-stricken from 1803.