in forma pauperis

noun

A request to have a court waive filing fees in a civil action because the plaintiff is indigent.

OriginLatin in fōrma pauperis →
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Meanings

nounin forma pauperis (uncountable)
  1. historicaluncountablelawA request to have a court waive filing fees in a civil action because the plaintiff is indigent.

Origin

  1. Latinin fōrma pauperis
  2. Englishin forma pauperis

Unadapted borrowing from Latin in fōrma pauperis (literally “in the manner of a pauper”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“in forma pauperis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20forma%20pauperis. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

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

Source: in forma pauperis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.