d-e-s-e-r-t
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.
7
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
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."
The verb desert (to abandon) shares the same Latin root "deserere" and entered English via Old French "deserter" in the late 14th century. Initially used in military contexts, it expanded to general usage meaning any act of abandonment or forsaking of duty.
Interestingly, "desert" meaning "what one deserves" has a different etymology, coming from Old French "deservir" (to deserve), making it a homograph with distinct origins. This explains why "just deserts" is spelled with one 's' despite sounding like "desserts"—it's about deserving, not sweet courses.
The classic desert image—extremely hot days, cool nights, minimal rainfall. Examples include the Sahara, Arabian, and Mojave deserts. Temperatures can exceed 120°F (49°C) during the day and drop significantly at night.
Found in higher latitudes or elevations, these deserts have cold winters with snowfall and relatively cool summers. The lack of precipitation, not temperature, defines them as deserts.
Coastal deserts like the Atacama and Namib are influenced by cold ocean currents, while semi-arid deserts represent transition zones between true deserts and more humid regions, supporting greater biodiversity.
Deserts form due to various factors: rain shadows from mountain ranges, distance from moisture sources, persistent high-pressure systems, and cold ocean currents. Most deserts lie between 15° and 35° latitude north and south of the equator, in the subtropical high-pressure zones.
Desert life has evolved remarkable adaptations: cacti store water in their tissues, camels can survive weeks without drinking, fennec foxes have large ears for heat dissipation, and many animals are nocturnal to avoid daytime heat. Plants often have waxy coatings, small leaves, or deep root systems.
Deserts face challenges from climate change, urbanization, mining, and unsustainable water use. Desertification—the process by which fertile land becomes desert—threatens millions of people worldwide. However, deserts also offer opportunities for solar energy, unique tourism, and contain valuable mineral resources.
A barren area of land with little precipitation. Pronounced "DEZ-ert" with stress on the first syllable. This is the most common usage in everyday language.
To leave or abandon, especially in violation of duty. Pronounced "dih-ZERT" with stress on the second syllable. Common in military and legal contexts.
Found mainly in the phrase "just deserts," meaning deserved punishment or reward. Same pronunciation as the verb form. Often confused with "desserts" due to similar sound.
•DESERT is worth 7 base points in Scrabble, with the D worth 2 points
•Antarctica is technically the world's largest desert, covering 5.5 million square miles
•The Atacama Desert in Chile is so dry that some areas have never recorded rainfall
•Despite their aridity, deserts are home to over 1 billion people worldwide
•The Sahara Desert was once green and wet, with lakes and rivers, just 6,000 years ago
"The Sahara Desert stretches across North Africa, covering an area roughly the size of the United States."
— Geographic context
"The soldier was court-martialed for attempting to desert his unit during combat."
— Military context
"Playing DESERT on a double word score netted me 14 points."
— Word game context
"After years of dishonesty, he finally got his just deserts."
— Idiomatic usage
Similar length and difficulty words
Total base points: 7 (Scrabble)
Vowels: 2 (E, E) | Consonants: 4 (D, S, R, T)
Pattern: CVCVCC (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant-Vowel-Consonant-Consonant)
Common letters: All letters are among the most frequent in English
Practice unscrambling letters to find more high-scoring words like DESERT