Word
desert
/ˈdɛzɝt/
Definitions
01dry land
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. a large, dry area of land with very little water or many plants.
n. a barren, arid region of land characterized by extremely low rainfall and sparse vegetation.
日本語:砂漠※
“The camel is well-adapted to surviving the heat of the desert.”
“The expedition struggled to navigate the vast expanse of the Sahara desert as the sandstorms obscured their landmarks.”
Pitfall
We had chocolate cake for desert.
We had chocolate cake for dessert.
The sweet course at the end of a meal is spelled with two 's's (dessert). The dry place has only one 's'.
02deserved reward or punishment
C1 · Advanced Plural noun Literary · Formal
n. what someone deserves, especially a punishment for doing something wrong.
n. that which is deserved or merited, typically used in the plural to refer to just consequences.
“After years of lying to his partners, he finally got his just deserts.”
“The villain's ultimate downfall in the final act was seen by the audience as his just deserts for a lifetime of cruelty.”
Usage
Almost exclusively used in the plural phrase 'just deserts'.
Synonyms
03to abandon
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to leave someone or something behind, especially when you have a duty to stay.
v. to abandon a person, place, or cause in violation of a duty or obligation.
日本語:見捨てる※
“The soldier decided to desert his post during the middle of the night.”
“He felt that his friends had deserted him in his hour of greatest need, leaving him to face the crisis alone.”
04to leave a military unit
C1 · Advanced Technical
v. to leave the army or navy without permission.
v. to leave one's military or naval unit without intending to return and without official leave.
“He was arrested after he tried to desert from the army and go home.”
“During the height of the conflict, several hundred soldiers chose to desert rather than participate in the offensive.”
Usage
The verb is intransitive in this specific military context.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Confusables
Dessert is the sweet course at the end of a meal, while a desert is a dry, sandy region with little water.
RememberDessert has two S's because you want a Second Serving.
Etymology
From Middle English desert (“wilderness”), from Old French desert, from Latin dēsertum, past participle of dēserō (“to abandon”). Generally displaced native Old English wēsten. False cognate of Egyptian dšrt.
Borrowed from French déserter, from Late Latin dēsertō, from Latin dēsertus, from dēserō (“abandon”).
From Middle English desert, deseert, from Old French deserte, from deservir (“to deserve”), from Vulgar Latin dēserviō (“to gain or merit by giving service”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Related words
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/desert
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0