Etymograph

English

destitute

Destitute comes from Latin dēstituō ‘to set in place’, from statuō ‘to put up (something)’, and perhaps ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- ‘to stand (up)’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*steh₂-1‘to stand (up)’uncertain
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*stéh₂-tu-s ~ *sth₂-téw-s1uncertain
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*status1‘setting up’uncertain
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*statujō1uncertain
  5. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*statuō1‘to erect, set up’reconstructed
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstatuō1‘to put up (something)’
  7. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēstituō2‘to set in place’
  8. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēstitūtus3participle of dēstituō
  9. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500destitute3
  10. Englishearliest quotation 1611destitute3

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin destituo
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Latin destitutus
  3. 3 Wiktionary, English destitute
  4. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “In thee is my trust; leave not my soul…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*steh₂-Wiktionary, Latin destituo‘to stand (up)’uncertain
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*stéh₂-tu-s ~ *sth₂-téw-sWiktionary, Latin destituouncertain
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*statusWiktionary, Latin destituo‘setting up’uncertain
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*statujōWiktionary, Latin destituouncertain
  5. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*statuōWiktionary, Latin destituo‘to erect, set up’reconstructed
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstatuōWiktionary, Latin destituo‘to put up (something)’
  7. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēstituōWiktionary, Latin destitutus‘to set in place’
  8. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēstitūtusWiktionary, English destituteparticiple of dēstituō
  9. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500destituteWiktionary, English destitute
  10. Englishearliest quotation 1611destituteWiktionary, English destitute. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “In thee is my trust; leave not my soul…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- ‘to stand (up)’

post, system, stay, stand, rest, distance, assistant, stadium, assistance, instance, stood, stable, assist, consistent, establishment, instant, establish, substance, distant, contest, stability, stem, insist, resist, consist, static, destination, persistent, testimony, persist, stationary, stool, stud, extant, stale, stamina, distal, armistice, subsistence, stow, 151 more

through Proto-Italic *status ‘setting up’

state, statuette, estado, 6 more

through Latin statuō ‘to put up (something)’

institute, constitution, statue, institution, substitute, statute, prostitution, constituent, constitute, substitution, prostitute, restitution, 6 more

Another origin of destitute

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500destituten
  2. Englishtodaydestitute

Today it means

adj Lacking something; devoid.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “destitute”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Latin destituo, Latin destitutus. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- / destitute

Shirt and support for this word