Impoverish

: To weaken the quality or value of something . One might argue that removing arts from a curriculum would impoverish our culture . Etymology and Usage

The word stems from the Old French empovrir , combining the prefix en- (into) with povre (poor) . : It is a verb . Related Forms : impoverish

: To deplete a natural resource of its essential qualities . Poor farming techniques can impoverish the soil , stripping it of the nutrients needed for crops to grow . : To weaken the quality or value of something