Make Your Point > Archived Issues > INDIGENCE

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connect today's word to others: One synonym of indigent is penurious. The indigent person, or the penurious person, is desperately poor: in serious need of help just to survive. Penurious also has a second meaning. Could you recall it? Hint: it describes George from Seinfeld. make your point with... "INDIGENCE" Indigence is a condition of intense, desperate poverty. In other words, indigence is the state of being very, very poor. Pronunciation: IN dih junce Part of speech: Uncountable noun. (Uncountable nouns, like "milk," "rice," and "advice," are words for stuff that can’t be broken into exact units. You talk about "some milk," "the rice," and "a lot of advice," but you don’t say "a milk," "three rices," or "many advices." Likewise, talk about "the indigence," "this indigence," "her indigence," "such indigence," "no indigence," and so on, but don’t say "an indigence," "one indigence," or "indigences.") Other forms: Indigent, indigently. An alternate noun is "indigency;" it's less common, so we'll keep focusing on "indigence." How to use it: "Indigence" is formal and somber. It expresses the fact that people are suffering greatly due to extreme poverty. So, we don't use it lightly. Talk about people who are born in indigence, who live (or die) in indigence, who suffer from indigence, who fall into indigence or arise from indigence, who feel the pressure of indigence, who guard against indigence, who shield themselves from indigence, who preserve themselves from indigence, and so on. Or, talk about someone's indigence, or the indigence of someone (or of a group of people): "North Korea's indigence," "the self-imposed indigence of Sister Catherine," "the next-door neighbor's well-hidden indigence," "the indigence of the island's inhabitants." Or, talk about marks of indigence, the burden of indigence, the inconveniences or indignities of indigence, etc. examples: She couldn't shake the habits that had gripped her in indigence. It's why her kids would find stolen ketchup packets in her purse. Valjean, himself a survivor of hardship, homelessness, and near-starvation, teaches Cosette to give generously to the indigent. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "indigence" means when you can explain it without saying "dire financial straits" or "abject need." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "Compared to a burden of indigence, like _____, a first-world problem like _____ is petty and ridiculous." Example: "Compared to a burden of indigence, like a long trek to access clean water, a first-world problem like too many pickles on your sandwich is petty and ridiculous." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. This month, we're playing with some beautifully worded passages from the Bible as we recall words we've studied before. From our previous issue: "Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever r_____s the wicked incurs abuse." (New International Version, Proverbs, chapter 9, verse 7.) What's the missing word? It means "scolds people harshly or points out how bad they are." Answer: rebukes. Try this today: "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with ________ comes wisdom." (New International Version, Proverbs, chapter 11, verse 2.) What's the missing word? It means "that low, quiet, meek belief that you're not the best." review today's word: 1. One opposite of INDIGENCE is A. WEALTH B. INIQUITY C. VEHEMENCE 2. Adults in the US who _____ are known as medically indigent. A. pay for their children's health care B. have no health care coverage or insurance C. pay for their health care needs from personal savings accounts Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. B