depauperate

comparative more depauperate · superlative most depauperate

1. usuallybiologyHaving stunted growth
2. obsoleteImpoverished.
3. Having a limited biodiversity.

   2009, David Quammen, Where the Salmon Rule, National Geographic (August 2009), page 35, "...because of Kamchatka's isolation from mainland river systems, its streams are relatively depauperate of other fresh water fish, leaving Oncorhynchus species to face few competitors and predators."

4. human sciencesDisplaying only a limited range of logically possible morphosyntactic combinations.

   1 more example

   2018, William Foley, The languages of the Sepik-Ramu Basin and Environs, in The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area, page 405, "The morphological profile of Sko languages varies widely, from the nearly isolating structure of Dumo, with simply subject prefixation for verbs, and that depauperate, to the rich polysynthesis of Barupu."

present singular third person depauperates · participle present depauperating · participle past depauperated · past depauperated

1. obsoleteTo impoverish.

   Humility of mind which depauperates the spirit.

   1678, Antiquitates Christianæ: Or, the History of the Life and Death of the Holy Jesus: […], London: […] E. Flesher, and R. Norton, for R[ichard] Royston, […], →OCLC

   1 more example

   Liming […] does not so much depauperate; the ground will last long, and beareth larger grain.

   1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land. […], London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for H[enry] Mortlock […], and J[onathan] Robinson […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: beggar, depauperize, ruin, beggar, depauperize, destitute, embeggar, empoverish

2. To stunt the growth of.