Indigence
/ˈɪn.dɪ.dʒəns/noun
Extreme poverty; destitution.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin indigere, meaning “to need” or “to lack,” with the same ancient root behind the idea of being inwardly deprived, not just temporarily broke.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*deygh-
“to lack, need, or be insufficient”
Latin
Latin
indigere
“to need, to lack, to be in want of”
Late Latin
Latin
indigentia
“need, poverty, want”
Old French
Old French
indigence
“want, poverty, destitution”
Middle English
English
indigence
“poverty; extreme want”
Modern English
English
indigence
“extreme poverty; destitution”