des·ert
1 (dĕźərt)
[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin dēsertum, from neuter past participle of dēserere, to desert; see desert3.]
noun
- A barren or desolate area, especially:
- A dry, often sandy region of little rainfall, extreme temperatures, and sparse vegetation.
- A region of permanent cold that is largely or entirely devoid of life.
- An apparently lifeless area of water.
- An empty or forsaken place; a wasteland: a cultural desert.
- Archaic A wild, uncultivated, and uninhabited region.
adjective
- Of, relating to, characteristic of, or inhabiting a desert: desert fauna.
- Barren and uninhabited; desolate: a desert island.
de·sert
2 (dĭ-zûrt́)
[Middle English, from Old French deserte, from feminine past participle of deservir, to deserve; see deserve.]
noun
- Something that is deserved or merited, especially a punishment. Often used in the plural: They got their just deserts when the scheme was finally uncovered.
- The state or fact of deserving reward or punishment.
de·sert
3 (dĭ-zûrt́)
[French déserter, from Late Latin dēsertāre, frequentative of Latin dēserere, to abandon, dē-, de-, + serere, to join.]
verb: -sert·ed, -sert·ing, -serts.
transitive verb
- To leave empty or alone; abandon.
- To withdraw from, especially in spite of a responsibility or duty; forsake: deserted her friend in a time of need.
- To abandon (a military post, for example) in violation of orders or an oath.
intransitive verb
- To forsake one's duty or post, especially to be absent without leave from the armed forces with no intention of returning.
derivatives
- de·sert́er
- noun
