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destitute

 - 3 dictionary results

des⋅ti⋅tute

  [des-ti-toot, -tyoot] adjective, verb, -tut⋅ed, -tut⋅ing.
Use destitute in a Sentence
–adjective
1. without means of subsistence; lacking food, clothing, and shelter.
2. deprived of, devoid of, or lacking (often fol. by of): destitute of children.
–verb (used with object)
3. to leave destitute.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME < L dēstitūtus (ptp. of dēstituere to abandon, deprive of support), equiv. to dē- de- + stit- place, put (comb. form of statuere; see statute ) + -ū- thematic vowel + -tus ptp. suffix

Related forms:
des⋅ti⋅tute⋅ly, adverb
des⋅ti⋅tute⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. needy, poor, indigent, necessitous, penniless, impoverished. 2. deficient.

Antonyms:
1. affluent.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To destitute
des·ti·tute   (děs'tĭ-tōōt', -tyōōt')   
adj.  

  1. Utterly lacking; devoid: Young recruits destitute of any experience.

  2. Lacking resources or the means of subsistence; completely impoverished. See Synonyms at poor.


[Middle English, from Latin dēstitūtus, past participle of dēstituere, to abandon : dē-, de- + statuere, to set; see stā- in Indo-European roots.]
des'ti·tute'ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

destitute 
c.1382, from L. destitutus "abandoned," pp. of destituere "forsake," from de- "away" + statuere "put, place," caus. of stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Originally literal; sense of "lacking resources, impoverished" is c.1540.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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