poor relation
1
5.4
- noun
- /pʊr rɪˈleɪʃən/
- Offensive
:
hermana pobre
- We were always the poor relations.
And so they showed this person's rise from sort of obscurity and was like the poor relation and to their subsequent downfall and just how sad it was.
- And so they showed this person's rise from sort of obscurity and was like the poor relation and to their subsequent downfall and just how sad it was.
Examples
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In the wealthy neighborhood, he always felt like a poor relation among his friends who drove luxury cars.
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Growing up as one of Mama's poor relations in Charleston, she had idolized Mama for her sweetness and generosity.
Fiction book (1997) -
Which made Alvie a poor relation, standing behind me while I tried to explain.
Fiction book (2000) -
I'm one of those poor relations you've heard tell about.
-
Maybe this fella's sort of a poor relation of Ananka's or something.
-
Despite its enduring popularity, TV has been the poor relation in terms of spectrum allocation for the development of new services.
Blog text (5) -
It certainly often seems that cyclists are the poor relation in terms of infrastructure.
Blog text (13) -
Far too often, the arts are a poor relation of the sciences in the pecking order for such provision.
Academic text (1992) -
As the film opens, she is in a relationship with a suit who clearly doesn't love her, a job she's too honest for, and is saddled with wealthy friends who look at her as a poor relation.
Blog text (1) -
During family gatherings, she was treated like a poor relation, overshadowed by her more successful siblings.
Synonyms
4
5.9
A person who has lower rank or status than others
A person or thing of lower quality than normal
How Important
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'an inferior person or thing' is directly derivable from combining 'poor' (inferior, low quality) with 'relation' (a member or thing related to others), producing a straightforward compositional sense. This follows common comparative/relational patterns and is likely inferable by a B1 learner who knows both constituents, despite occasional literal readings referring to a financially poor family relation.
Etymology
Poor relation comes from the image of a family member who is poor. The poor relation would sit apart at family events and get less attention or help, so the phrase now means 'someone or something seen as less important'.