Penury (noun)

Extreme poverty; a state of having very little or no money or material possessions.

Origin:

From the middle english word "penurie" and the old french word "penurie" meaning "poverty".

Examples:

1. The family was living in penury and struggled to make ends meet.
2. The country was in the grip of penury and many people were unemployed.
3. The penury was evident in the shabby clothes and worn-out shoes of the beggars.
4. The penury of the village was due to years of drought and poor harvests.
5. The penury was a result of the economic crisis.