▪ a recipient of relief under the provisions of the Poor Law or of public charity: "he was buried in a pauper's grave"
▪ a poor person who may bring a legal action without payment of costs.
Word Originlate 15th century: from Latin, literally ‘poor’. The word's use in English originated in the Latin legal phrase in forma pauperis, literally ‘in the form of a poor person’ (allowing non-payment of costs).
