Destitution

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /dÉ›stɪˈtjuːʃən/, /dÉ›stɪˈtʃuːʃən/

Origin

From Old French destitution, from Latin dēstitūtiōnem ("abandoning"), from dēstituere.

Full definition of destitution

Noun

1. (obsolete) The action of deserting or abandoning.
2. (now rare) Discharge from office; dismissal.
3. The condition of lacking something.
• 1906, ‘Mark Twain’, in The Bible According to Mark Twain, 1996, p. 330:He requires of his fellow man obedience to a very creditable code of morals, but he observes without shame or disapproval his God's utter destitution of morals.
4. An extreme state of poverty, in which a person is almost completely lacking in resources or means of support.
• 2009, Rahila Gupta, The Guardian, 4 Aug 2009:Destitution forces many asylum seekers to end up working for extremely low wages in catering, cleaning and construction, for example, without any protection against unscrupulous employers.

Related terms

• destitute