poverty line
Definition
Noun: A minimum income level, officially defined by a government or authoritative body, below which a person or household is considered to be living in poverty. It is a statistical threshold used to measure and quantify economic need within a population.
Usage
The term is used as a countable noun, often preceded by "the" (e.g., the poverty line). It is a standard term in economics, social policy, and demographic studies to discuss welfare, inequality, and living standards. * The government's new policy aims to lift thousands of families above the poverty line. * Researchers are debating whether the official poverty line accurately reflects the cost of basic necessities.
Examples
- Millions of people live just below the poverty line, struggling to afford adequate food and housing.
- Raising the minimum wage could help more workers earn an income above the poverty line.
- The report analyzed the percentage of children living under the federal poverty line.
Advanced Usage
- To fall below/drop below the poverty line: To become officially classified as poor due to a decrease in income.
- After losing his job, he feared his family would fall below the poverty line.
- To lift/raise someone above the poverty line: To increase income so it exceeds the official threshold.
- The scholarship program is designed to lift students' future earnings above the poverty line.
- To hover around/near the poverty line: To have an income very close to the threshold, making one vulnerable to poverty.
- Many service workers hover around the poverty line despite being employed full-time.
Variants and Related Words
- Poverty threshold: A synonymous term often used interchangeably with "poverty line."
- Poverty rate: The percentage of a population living below the poverty line.
- Poverty level: Another common synonym.
- International poverty line: A global benchmark set by institutions like the World Bank, often set at a certain dollar amount per day (e.g., $2.15 per day).
Synonyms
- Breadline
- Subsistence level
- Indigence threshold
Related Phrases
- Living in poverty: The state of existing below the poverty line.
- The program provides assistance to families living in poverty.
- Poverty line index: A related metric that may incorporate multiple factors beyond income.
Noun
-
a level of personal income defining the state of poverty
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