indigent

adjective

in·​di·​gent ˈin-di-jənt How to pronounce indigent (audio)
1
: suffering from extreme poverty : impoverished
2
a
archaic : deficient
b
archaic : totally lacking in something specified
indigent noun

Examples of indigent in a Sentence

… every day, I fled the house and drove aimlessly over mountain roads that passed by indigent farms and strange, unpainted churches. Mark Singer, New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2000 & 1 Jan. 2001
A land post was offered him in November, 1765, as Governor of Greenwich Hospital, a shelter for disabled and indigent seamen and a place affording many openings for jobbery (the contemporary term for bureaucratic graft). Barbara W. Tuchman, The First Salute, 1988
He went around climbing dark stairs and knocking on doors and taking flash photos of indigent families in their dwellings. E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime, (1974) 1975
Because he was indigent, the court appointed a lawyer to defend him. The clinic provides free care for indigent patients.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Johnson has run through a series of attorneys, represented himself, and then was appointed a public defender until Clymer determined in court that Johnson was not indigent and therefore didn’t qualify for one. Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2024 The increase also applies to disabled and largely indigent retirees receiving SSI or Supplemental Security Income. Russ Wiles, The Arizona Republic, 13 Oct. 2024 The court declared Cato indigent and ordered for a public defender to represent him. Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 19 Sep. 2024 But in Georgia, a potential $1.2 billion influx under expansion would cut costly indigent care. Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for indigent 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Old French, from Latin indigent-, indigens, present participle of indigēre to need, from Old Latin indu + Latin egēre to need; perhaps akin to Old High German echerode poor

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of indigent was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near indigent

Cite this Entry

“Indigent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indigent. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

indigent

adjective
in·​di·​gent ˈin-di-jənt How to pronounce indigent (audio)

Legal Definition

indigent

adjective
in·​di·​gent ˈin-də-jənt How to pronounce indigent (audio)
: suffering from indigence
the indigent defendant was provided with counsel
indigent noun

More from Merriam-Webster on indigent

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