Welcome to the Voice of America's Newswords.
In Venezuela, the government of President Nicolas Maduro has created new policies to deal with the economic crisis.
Draconian.
The new policies include higher wages for workers and set prices for goods, such as meat.
Business owners say these Draconian policies have caused them to close their businesses because they cannot pay their workers' wages.
Draconian comes from the name of an ancient Greek lawmaker, Draco.
His laws gave heavy punishments for small crimes.
Today, Draconian describes something that is cruel and severe.
