indigent

[ in-di-juhnt ]

adjective

1. lacking food, clothing, and other necessities of life because of poverty; needy; poor; impoverished.

   Synonyms: distressed, penurious, necessitous

2. Archaic.
   1. deficient in what is requisite.
   2. destitute (usually followed by of ).

noun

1. a person who is indigent.

indigent

/ ˈɪndɪdʒənt /

adjective

1. so poor as to lack even necessities; very needy
2. archaic.
   usually foll by of lacking (in) or destitute (of)

noun

1. an impoverished person

Derived Forms

• ˈindigence, noun
• ˈindigently, adverb

Other Words From

• indi·gent·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of indigent¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin indigent-, stem of indigēns “needing, lacking,” present participle of indigēre “to need, lack, be poor,” from ind-, variant of in- in- ² ( indagate ) + -igēre, combining form of egēre “to need, lack”

Word History and Origins

Origin of indigent¹

C14: from Latin indigēre to need, from egēre to lack

Example Sentences

Each month, the agency sends lists of the eligible attorneys on each panel to the courthouses so clerks can base assignments for indigent defendants on them.

From ProPublica

In the late 19th century, dying at a hospital was reserved for indigents, the people who had nothing and no one.

From Freakonomics

No one in the county’s indigent health care program was looking to revamp the system or to invest in telehealth at the time, he said.

From ProPublica

He said his company’s services, which included remote patient monitoring, could ultimately reduce the county’s indigent care costs.

From ProPublica

Hays County has a contract with the hospital to provide the county’s indigent care.

From ProPublica

The lawyers of ArchCity Defenders specialize in representing the indigent and the homeless.

From The Daily Beast

In addition, many Texans believed that the role of helping the indigent belonged to the church.

From The Daily Beast

She emphasizes that the indigent detainees who will benefit from this program are not all undocumented.

From The Daily Beast

For instance, minority doctors are more likely to go on to work among indigent or underserved populations after medical school.

From The Daily Beast

Herrera is seeking to have the city reimbursed for its care of indigent patients it claims were dumped there by Nevada.

From The Daily Beast

We make fast the doors of our lighted houses against the indigent and the hungry.

From Project Gutenberg

The indigent Jakut exchanges his most valuable furs and skins for a few ounces of the "Circassian weed."

From Project Gutenberg

And to make good infantry, it requireth men bred, not in a servile or indigent fashion, but in some free and plentiful manner.

From Project Gutenberg

John Porteous was born of indigent parents near the city of Edinburgh; and he served his time as an apprentice to a tailor.

From Project Gutenberg

Rail not at a guest, nor from thy gate thrust him; treat well the indigent; they will speak well of thee.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• destitute
• impoverished
• needy
• penniless
• poverty-stricken