DESERT has multiple meanings: as a noun, it refers to a barren area of land with little precipitation and sparse vegetation; as a verb, it means to abandon or leave. The word comes from Latin "desertum" meaning "abandoned place." In word games, DESERT is a 6-letter word worth 7 base points in Scrabble.
Yes. DESERT is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 7 points in Scrabble, 7 in Words With Friends and 7 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | D | E | S | E | R | T | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Words With Friends | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Wordfeud | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
As a noun, a DESERT is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. Deserts cover about one-fifth of Earth's surface and are characterized by their aridity, with annual rainfall typically less than 10 inches (250mm). Despite their harsh conditions, deserts support unique ecosystems adapted to extreme temperatures and water scarcity.
As a verb, to DESERT means to abandon someone or something in a way considered disloyal or treacherous. This can apply to military contexts (deserting one's post), personal relationships (deserting family), or any situation where someone leaves when they have an obligation to stay. The act of desertion implies a breach of duty or trust.
The word also appears in the phrase "just deserts" (note: one 's'), meaning the punishment or reward that someone deserves. This usage comes from an older meaning of "desert" as something deserved, derived from the Old French "deservir." This creates an interesting linguistic situation where the same spelling can have completely different origins and meanings.
The geographical desert comes from the Latin "desertum," meaning "thing abandoned" or "wasteland," from the past participle of "deserere" (to abandon). The Latin "deserere" is formed from "de-" (away) + "serere" (to join together), literally meaning "to disjoin" or "to separate from."
Anagrams: DETERSRESTED
Hooks: no front hooks; back DESERTS.
Words inside DESERT: 60 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: DETERSRESTEDDEERSDEETSDETERDREESDRESTREDESREEDSSEDERSEREDSTEED. See all words from DESERT.