destitution

/dɛstɪˈtuːʃən/

Etymology

From Old French destitution, from Latin dēstitūtiō (“abandoning”), from dēstituō.

destitution means the action of deserting or abandoning. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 80 out of 100.

Why this word is great

DESTITUTION — [Noun] The state of being utterly impoverished, lacking the basic necessities of life. From Old French *destitution*, from Latin *dēstitūtiō* ("abandoning, forsaking"), from *dēstituō* ("to abandon, forsake"), from *dē-* ("away") + *statuō* ("to set, place"). Unlike "poverty," which describes a spectrum of scarcity, or "indigence," which emphasizes a state of pressing need, destitution is the absolute zero of circumstance: to be set away, forsaken, with nothing left to be taken. It is the unforgiving cold of a threadbare coat, the hollowed-out silence of an empty cupboard, and the profound quiet that follows when one can no longer barter with the world. It is the raw, material truth of being an object the economy has shed.

noun

The action of deserting or abandoning.
Discharge from office; dismissal.
The condition of lacking something.“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.”
An extreme state of poverty, in which a person is almost completely lacking in resources or means of support.“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.”