destitute

[ des-ti-toot, -tyoot ]
/ ˈdɛs tɪˌtut, -ˌtyut /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR destitute ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

without means of subsistence; lacking food, clothing, and shelter.
deprived of, devoid of, or lacking (often followed by of): destitute of children.

verb (used with object), des·ti·tut·ed, des·ti·tut·ing.

to leave destitute.

Origin of destitute

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin dēstitūtus (past participle of dēstituere to abandon, deprive of support), equivalent to dē- de- + stit- place, put (combining form of statuere; see statute) + -ū- thematic vowel + -tus past participle suffix

OTHER WORDS FROM destitute

des·ti·tute·ly, adverb des·ti·tute·ness, noun pre·des·ti·tute, adjective un·des·ti·tute, adjective

Words nearby destitute

desterro, destination, destine, destined, destiny, destitute, destitution, destock, destool, destrier, destroy

Words related to destitute

poor, strapped, poverty-stricken, penniless, needy, exhausted, insolvent, impoverished, indigent, bankrupt, bereft, deficient, drained, empty, flat, impecunious, lacking, penurious, stony, stripped

Example sentences from the Web for destitute

British Dictionary definitions for destitute

destitute
/ (ˈdɛstɪˌtjuːt) /

adjective

lacking the means of subsistence; totally impoverished
(postpositive foll by of) completely lacking; deprived or bereft (of) destitute of words
obsolete abandoned or deserted

Derived forms of destitute

destituteness, noun

Word Origin for destitute

C14: from Latin dēstitūtus forsaken, from dēstituere to leave alone, from statuere to place