desert

Reading level: medium

Estimated CEFR level: A2 — Elementary

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun arid land with little or no vegetation
  2. verb leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
  3. verb desert (a cause, a country or an army), often in order to join the opposing cause, country, or army

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.

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