indigent
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Related to indigent: Medically Indigent
indigent
poor; impoverished; distressed: The indigent street people are often ignored.
Not to be confused with:
indigenous – innate; inherent; natural; aboriginal: Remarkable agility is indigenous to the tribe.
indignant – filled with anger at a person who is regarded as unjust, mean, or unworthy: She was indignant about her coworker’s accusations.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
in·di·gent
(ĭn′dĭ-jənt)adj.
1. Experiencing want or need; impoverished: distributed food to indigent families.
2. Archaic Lacking or deficient.
n.
A poor or destitute person.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin indigēns, indigent-, present participle of indigēre, to need : indu-, in; see en in Indo-European roots + egēre, to lack.]
in′di·gent·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
indigent
(ˈɪndɪdʒənt)adj
1. so poor as to lack even necessities; very needy
2. (usually foll by of) archaic lacking (in) or destitute (of)
n
an impoverished person
[C14: from Latin indigēre to need, from egēre to lack]
ˈindigence n
ˈindigently adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
in•di•gent
(ˈɪn dɪ dʒənt)adj.
1. lacking the necessities of life because of poverty; needy; poor; impoverished.
2. Archaic.
n. a. deficient in what is requisite.
b. destitute (usu. fol. by of).
3. a person who is indigent.
[1350–1400; Middle English < Latin indigent-, s. of indigēns, present participle of indigēre to need, lack, be poor]
in′di•gent•ly, adv.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
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| Adj. | 1. | indigent - poor enough to need help from others poor - having little money or few possessions; "deplored the gap between rich and poor countries"; "the proverbial poor artist living in a garret" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
indigent
adjective (Formal) destitute, poor, impoverished, needy, penniless, poverty-stricken, down and out, in want, down at heel (informal), impecunious, dirt-poor, straitened, on the breadline, short, flat broke (informal), penurious, necessitous How can we persuade indigent peasants to stop slaughtering wildlife?
rich, wealthy, prosperous, affluent, well-off, well-to-do
rich, wealthy, prosperous, affluent, well-off, well-to-do
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
indigent
adjectiveHaving little or no money or wealth:
beggarly, destitute, down-and-out, impecunious, impoverished, necessitous, needy, penniless, penurious, poor, poverty-stricken.
Idioms: hard up, on one's uppers.
An impoverished person:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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