Someone who is a pauper or who is extremely poor and begs for money: More and more ptochoists are appearing on the streets of cities around the world; even in the so-called advanced economic countries.

While walking in San Francisco one day, Tom and Karla saw two sleeping bags and other items that ptochoists had stored under an overpass support which would no doubt be picked up later in the evening when they would be ready to go to sleep.

There are some cities that enable ptochoists to live on their streets by providing them with three free meals each day and by giving them free clothing and free blankets. There are also "clean-up centers", where they can wash their clothes and take showers, and even places where they can spend the night.