noun
indigence
Indigence (noun) means Very great poverty.
noun
1
Very great poverty.
"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."
— Salman Rushdie, Fury: A Novel (2001)
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Etymology
Came into English as Middle English indigence in the late 14th century, from Old French indigence (13th century), from Latin indigentia, from indigentem, a form of indigēre (“to need”), from indu (“in, within”) + egēre (“be in need, want”). Its only link to the antonym affluence is the shared Latinate suffix -ence.
Related words
Rhymes for indigence
See all rhymes for indigence →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of indigence?
"indigence" (noun) means very great poverty.
What is another word for indigence?
Other words for "indigence" include pauperization, need, pauperism, penury.
What is the opposite of indigence?
Opposites of "indigence" include wealth, riches, opulence, affluence.
