Dictionary

indigent en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈɪndɪd͡ʒənt/
• /ɪnˈd(a)ɪd͡ʒənt/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English indigent, from Old French indigent, from Latin indigēns, present participle of indigeō (“to need”), from indu (“in, within”) + egeō (“to be in need, want”).

Meanings

1. Poor; destitute; in need.
   • And were I not a thing for you and me To execrate in anguish, you would be As indigent a stranger to surprise, I fear, as I was once, and as unwise. 1932, Edwin Arlington Robinson, “Prodigal Son”, in Nicodemus:
   • In numerous Supreme Court decisions since Gideon v. Wainwright, the states have been required to provide counsel for indigent defendants at virtually all other stages of the criminal process, beginning with arrest and concluding with the defendant's release from the system. 2013, Larry J. Siegel, John L. Worral, Essentials of Criminal Justice, Wadsworth, →ISBN, page 162:
   • Many of the indigent children are so badly provided for by their parents, with both food and raiment, that they cannot attend school regularly; […] 1830, Thomas Ritchie, Journal of the House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia, page 422:
   • Because of this, when my second major health fiasco happened, I had no insurance, so I went to a teaching hospital where they took indigent patients. 2011, Carla Ulbrich, How Can You Not Laugh at a Time Like This?: Reclaim Your Health With Humor, Creativity, and Grit, Tell Me Press, →ISBN, page 65:
   • I had since my introduction to the prince been sensitive to the fact that he must think an obviously indigent soldier of fortune will sooner or later open the subject of a subscription to the Greek Cause. 1974, Guy Davenport, Tatlin!:
2. (archaic) Utterly lacking or in need of something specified.
   • Will Providence guard us? How do I ſee that our Sex is naturally Indigent of Protection?—I hope it is in Fate to crown our Loves; for 'tis only in the Protection of Men of Honour, that we are naturally truly Safe […] 1701, Richard Steele, The Funeral: or, Grief A-la-mode, act II, scene 1:
   • Again some Bodies dissolve both in Fire and Water, as Gums; &c. And these are such, as have both Plenty of Spirit; and their tangible Parts indigent of Moisture: the former promotes the Dilatation of the Spirits by the Fire and the latter stimulates the Parts to receive the Liquor. 1620, Francis Bacon, Instauratio Magnus, Part III, Section ii, subsection "Liquifaction"

Forms

Antonyms

affluent

Deriveds

nonindigent · unindigent · indigently

Relateds

indigency · indigence

Synonyms

poverty-stricken · poverty-ridden · depauperate · broker than the Ten Commandments · insolvent · badly off · destitute · dirt poor · impecunious · broken · penniless · stuck · moneyless · indigent · bankrupt · boracic · unwealthy · down on one's luck · needy · arm · hard up · beggared · impoverished · flat · down on one's uppers · broke · pinched · pauperized · stone-broke · down and out · possessionless · beggarly · empty-handed · goodless · feeling the pinch · wealthless · poor as a rat · pok kai · threadbare · poor as Job · penurious · shillingless · oofless · disadvantaged · lower-class · poor as a church mouse · strapped · skint · almsless · down at heel · in need · necessitous · farthingless · groatless · poor · stony-broke

Translations (40)

de bedürftig (poor; destitute) · pt indigente (poor; destitute) · de arm (poor; destitute) · nl indigent (poor; destitute) · bg беден (poor; destitute) · fi köyhä (poor; destitute) · ru нуждающийся (poor; destitute) · fr indigent (poor; destitute) · ru ни́щий (poor; destitute) · sv behövande (poor; destitute) · fi puutteenalainen (poor; destitute) · xal яду (poor; destitute) · ru бе́дный (poor; destitute) · ota یوقسول (poor; destitute) · hy աղքատ (poor; destitute) · ga daibhir (poor; destitute) · ota فقیر (poor; destitute) · nl arm (poor; destitute) · fr nécessiteux (poor; destitute) · de mittellos (poor; destitute) · de hilfsbedürftig (poor; destitute) · es indigente (poor; destitute) · la indigēns (poor; destitute) · ca indigent (poor; destitute) · de Not leidend (poor; destitute) · pdt oam (poor; destitute) · de notleidend (poor; destitute) · mi takaonge (poor; destitute) · sv nödlidande (poor; destitute) · nl behoeftig (poor; destitute) · hy չքավոր (poor; destitute) · it indigente (poor; destitute) · sv utblottad (poor; destitute) · nl onbemiddeld (poor; destitute) · sv fattig (poor; destitute) · nl nooddruftig (poor; destitute) · gl indixente (poor; destitute) · bn মুহতাজ (poor; destitute) · fi varaton (poor; destitute) · ru бедствующий (poor; destitute)

indigent en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈɪndɪd͡ʒənt/
• /ɪnˈd(a)ɪd͡ʒənt/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English indigent, from Old French indigent, from Latin indigēns, present participle of indigeō (“to need”), from indu (“in, within”) + egeō (“to be in need, want”).

Meanings

1. A person in need, or in poverty.
   • I liked the streets best, so I walked and stared, and slept in a Salvation Army hostel for indigents. But I was no indigent; I was rich in feeling, and that was a luxury I had rarely known. 1975, Robertson Davies, World of Wonders, Penguin Books, published 1976, →ISBN, page 161:
   • The influx of indigents overwhelmed the city's meagre social services and affordable accommodation. 2009, Mara Vorhees, Moscow, Lonely Planet, →ISBN, page 29:
   • Then in 2005 a Republican-led Congress passed a bill requiring millions of low-income people to pay higher co-payments and premiums under Medicaid. The result was that many more indigents had to forgo care. 2011, Michael Parenti, Democracy for the Few, Wadsworth, →ISBN, page 78:

Forms

Relateds

indigenous

Synonyms

have not · poor · lack-all · penny-father · bankrupt · indigent · pauper · insolvent · Lazarus · beggar

Translations (22)

bg бедняк (a person in need or in poverty) · ga daibhir (a person in need or in poverty) · ca indigent (a person in need or in poverty) · ja 貧乏人 (a person in need or in poverty) · de Armen (a person in need or in poverty) · fr indigent (a person in need or in poverty) · fi köyhä (a person in need or in poverty) · de Arme (a person in need or in poverty) · nl noodlijder (a person in need or in poverty) · de Bedürftiger (a person in need or in poverty) · nl behoeftige (a person in need or in poverty) · pt indigente (a person in need or in poverty) · nl armlastige (a person in need or in poverty) · de Armer (a person in need or in poverty) · fr nécessiteux (a person in need or in poverty) · sv behövande (a person in need or in poverty) · de Notleidender (a person in need or in poverty) · es indigente (a person in need or in poverty) · de Arme (a person in need or in poverty) · nl arme (a person in need or in poverty) · ota فقیر (a person in need or in poverty) · ota درویش (a person in need or in poverty)