indigence

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English indigence, late 14th century, from Old French indigence (13th century), from Latin indigentia, from indigentem, form of indigēre (“to need”), from indu (“in, within”) + egēre (“be in need, want”).[1]

Only relation to antonym affluence is common Latinate suffix +‎ -ence.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈɪndɪd͡ʒəns/
  • Audio (Mid-Atlantic)(file)

Noun[edit]

indigence (countable and uncountable, plural indigences)

  1. Extreme poverty or destitution.
    Synonym: indigency
    Antonym: affluence
    • 2001, Salman Rushdie, Fury: A Novel, London: Jonathan Cape, →ISBN, page 4:
      On Professor Solanka’s street, well-heeled white youths lounged in baggy garments on roseate stoops, stylishly simulating indigence while they waited for the billionairedom that would surely be along sometime soon.

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “indigence”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Inherited from Old French indigence, from Latin indigentia.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

indigence f (plural indigences)

  1. indigence

Further reading[edit]

Old French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Learned borrowing from Latin indigentia.

Noun[edit]

indigence oblique singular, f (oblique plural indigences, nominative singular indigence, nominative plural indigences)

  1. indigence (poverty; lacking)

Descendants[edit]

  • English: indigence
  • French: indigence

References[edit]

  • Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l’ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IXe au XVe siècle (1881) (indigence, supplement)
Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=indigence&oldid=77735721"