Where does “semipoor” come from?

semipoor (English) comes from English poor, from Middle English povre, from Old French povre, from Latin pauper, from Latin pavo-pars, from Proto-Indo-European pau- — smallness.

semipoor (English): Partly or somewhat poor

Definitions

  1. Partly or somewhat poor

Ancestry of “semipoor”, step by step

semipoor traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English poor

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpoorWith no or few possessions or money, particularly...
2Middle Englishpovrepoor, needy; poor by choice; Afflicted by need...
3Old Frenchpovrepoor
4Latinpauperpoor
5Latinpavo-parsgetting little
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpau-smallness

via English semi

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsemiA semi-detached house; A semitrailer; a...
2Englishsemi-half; partial, incomplete; somewhat, rather,...
3Latinsēmi-half
4Proto-Indo-Europeansēmihalf; partially
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pau- →Every word from Latin pavo-pars →Every word from Latin pauper →