Final answer:
The official definition of poverty used by the American government is a measure of relative poverty, where people can afford necessities but are unable to meet their society's average standard of living. It can also be measured as absolute poverty, which is an economic condition where a family or individual cannot afford basic necessities.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the United States, poverty is most often referred to as a relative rather than absolute measurement. Relative poverty is a state of living where people can afford necessities but are unable to meet their society's average standard of living. On the other hand, absolute poverty is an economic condition in which a family or individual cannot afford basic necessities such as food and shelter, so that day-to-day survival is in jeopardy.