indigence

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈɪndɪdʒəns/ UK /ˈɪndɪdʒəns/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a state of extreme poverty or neediness

The pension rescued many old workers from indigence.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a state of extreme poverty... poverty destitution penury want need privation

Opposites

affluence wealth prosperity opulence

Word family

Related forms indigentindigency

Etymology

From Old French indigence, from Latin indigentia ('need, want'), from indigere ('to be in need'), from indu- ('in') + egere ('to lack, want').

indigere Latin egere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# indigence

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɪndɪdʒəns/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɪndɪdʒəns/

## Meanings
1. a state of extreme poverty or neediness

## Examples
- The pension rescued many old workers from indigence.

## Synonyms
- poverty
- destitution
- penury
- want
- need
- privation

## Antonyms
- affluence
- wealth
- prosperity
- opulence

## Related Forms
- indigent
- indigency

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: indigere
- Root: egere

## Etymology
From Old French indigence, from Latin indigentia ('need, want'), from indigere ('to be in need'), from indu- ('in') + egere ('to lack, want').

## AI Etymology
indigence comes from Old French indigence, from Latin indigentia ('need, want'), from indigere ('to be in need'), from indu- ('in') + egere ('to lack, want'). The path is chiefly one of transmission: the word passes through the named languages and forms, with each stage preserving part of the modern shape. In present English, the noun sense is "a state of extreme poverty or neediness", so the historical development ends in a clearly identifiable modern dictionary use. The same base also appears in related forms such as indigent and indigency. Its semantic neighborhood includes poverty, destitution, penury, and want, which helps locate the modern sense without adding a separate etymological claim. The named historical forms include Latin indigere and Latin egere.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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