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désert
/de.zɛʁ/
desert
Le désert du Sahara est le plus grand désert chaud du monde.
The Sahara Desert is the largest hot desert in the world.
general
A large, dry, barren area of land with little or no precipitation.
Les dunes de sable du désert sont magnifiques au coucher du soleil.
The sand dunes of the desert are magnificent at sunset.
The term 'désert' can also refer to a place of solitude or abandonment.
figurative
A place or situation that is empty or devoid of something.
Son cœur était un désert émotionnel après la rupture.
His heart was an emotional desert after the breakup.
This figurative use is less common but still recognized.
Collocations
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Usage
'Désert' is most often used to refer to natural deserts, but it can also describe a lack of something, such as love or emotion.
Gold Rule
Capitalization
In French, 'désert' is not capitalized unless it starts a sentence or is part of a proper noun.
Word Origin
From Old French 'desert', from Latin 'desertum', meaning 'abandoned, uninhabited'.
Usage Notes
The word 'désert' is commonly used to describe natural deserts but can also be used metaphorically to describe emotional or spiritual emptiness.
Word Breakdown
dé-
intensifier or privative prefix
prefix-sert
from Latin 'servire' (to serve), implying a place that does not serve or sustain life
rootDictionnaire Français-Anglais