indignity means degradation, debasement or humiliation. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 72 out of 100.
indignity is pronounced /ɪnˈdɪɡ.nɪ.ti/.
Why “indignity” is a great word
INDIGNITY — [Noun] Treatment or circumstances that cause one to feel shame, humiliation, or a loss of dignity and self-respect. From the Latin indignitās, indignitātem, from indignus ("unworthy, undeserving") + -itās (noun-forming suffix). Unlike "outrage," which flares against a public wrong, or "affront," a deliberate and open insult, an indignity is the quiet, personal corrosion of self-worth. It is the sag of the shoulders in a public reprimand, the clinical chill of a hospital gown, or the silent comprehension of being part of an undignified queue. Its ultimate injury is the silent question it forces you to entertain: perhaps you are, after all, just a little bit unworthy.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin indignitās, indignitātem. Equivalent to indign + -ity.
noun
- degradation, debasement or humiliation“public indignity”
- an affront to one's dignity or pride