destitution
English
Etymology
From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old French destitution, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin dēstitūtiō (“abandoning”), from dēstituō.
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "GenAm" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /dɛstɪˈtuːʃən/
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /dɛstɪˈtjuːʃən/, /dɛstɪˈtʃuːʃən/
Noun
destitution (countable and uncountable, plural destitutions)
- (obsolete) The action of deserting or abandoning.
- (now rare) Discharge from office; dismissal.
- The condition of lacking something.
- 1906, ‘Mark Twain’, in The Bible According to Mark Twain, 1996, p. 330:
- He requires of his fellow man obedience to a very creditable code of morals, but he observes without shame or disapproval his God's utter destitution of morals.
- 1906, ‘Mark Twain’, in The Bible According to Mark Twain, 1996, p. 330:
- An extreme state of poverty, in which a person is almost completely lacking in resources or means of support.
- 2009, Rahila Gupta, The Guardian, 4 Aug 2009:
- Destitution forces many asylum seekers to end up working for extremely low wages in catering, cleaning and construction, for example, without any protection against unscrupulous employers.
- 2009, Rahila Gupta, The Guardian, 4 Aug 2009:
Related terms
Translations
condition of lacking something
|
extreme state of poverty
|
French
Etymology
Borrowed from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin dēstitūtiō.
Pronunciation
Noun
destitution f (plural destitutions)
- discharge, dismissal
- deposition (of a politician etc.)
Further reading
- “destitution”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Categories:
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 4-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English terms with rare senses
- French terms derived from Latin
- French 4-syllable words
- French terms with IPA pronunciation
- French terms with audio links
- French lemmas
- French nouns
- French countable nouns
- French feminine nouns