Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “destitute” come from?

Destitute comes from Middle English destituten, from Latin destitutus, the past participle of destituo, meaning to abandon or forsake, derived from de and statuo, to set or place.

destitute (English): Lacking something; devoid; lacking money; poor,...

Definitions

  1. Lacking something; devoid; lacking money; poor,...

Ancestry of “destitute”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishdestitute—
2Latindestitutusdestitute; disappointed; childless
3Latindēstituō—
4Latindē-—
5Latindē—
6Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
7Latinposteablative singular of postis
8Proto-Italicposti—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpósti—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at

Words derived from “destitute”

  • destituteness
  • destitutely
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós →