Relative poverty refers to a floating standard of deprivation by which people at the bottom of a society, whatever their absolute lifestyles or level of material comfort, are judged to be disadvantaged and lacking in comparison with the overall standards and average lifestyle of the nation or society as a whole. This measure of poverty is not based on a fixed threshold of basic needs but rather on the relative economic position of individuals or households within their social context. It acknowledges that what is considered a minimally acceptable standard of living can vary across different societies and change over time, and that poverty is not just about lacking the bare necessities for survival but also about being excluded from the ordinary living patterns, customs, and amenities that are considered customary in the society in which one belongs.