Speenhamland system

proper noun

A form of outdoor relief intended to mitigate rural poverty in England and Wales around the beginning of the 19th century.

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Meanings

proper nounthe Speenhamland system
  1. historicalA form of outdoor relief intended to mitigate rural poverty in England and Wales around the beginning of the 19th century.

Origin

Named after a 1795 meeting in Speenhamland, Berkshire, where local magistrates devised the system.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Speenhamland system. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Speenhamland%20system

MLA

“Speenhamland system.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Speenhamland%20system. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Speenhamland system,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Speenhamland%20system.

Source: Speenhamland system on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.