pen ‧ u ‧ ry /ˈpenjəri, ˈpenjʊri/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: penuria ]
formal the state of being very poor SYN poverty :
He died in penury in 1644.
—penurious /pəˈnjʊəriəs, pɪˈnjʊəriəs $ -ˈnʊr-/ adjective