late 14c., from Old French indigence "indigence, need, privation" (13c.), from Latin indigentia "need, want; insatiable desire," from indigentem (nominative indigens) "in want of, needing," present participle of indigere "to need, stand in need of," from indu "in, within" (from PIE *endo-, extended form of root *en "in") + egere "be in need, want," from PIE *eg- "to lack" (source also of Old Norse ekla "want, lack," Old High German eccherode "thin, weak").
