destitute
adjective
Did you know?
You may be surprised to learn that "destitute" is related to words like "statue," "statute," and even "statistics." The Latin word status, meaning "position" or "state," is the source of these and other English words. Some terms of this family are directly related to "status," while others come to English through "statuere," a Latin derivative of "status" that means "to set up." "Destitute" came from "destituere" ("to abandon" or "to deprive"), a joining of "statuere" and the prefix de- ("from, down, away"). "Statuere" also gave us "constitute," "institute," and "restitution," among other similar-sounding words.
Examples of destitute in a Sentence
Cd Goette-Luciak, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2025
The bank seizes the family’s assets, leaving them relatively destitute.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Jan. 2025
Paiva can’t even access their accounts without her husband’s signature, making the family suddenly destitute.
—Cristina Escobar, refinery29.com, 18 Feb. 2025
The bank seizes the family’s assets, leaving them relatively destitute.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destitute
Cite this Entry
“Destitute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/destitute. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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destitute
adjective
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