To deprive of sight or vision; to make blind or unable to see.
From Old English de- (to undo, remove) + sight (vision, the ability to see). Forms part of a productive pattern of verbs using de- as a reversing or removing prefix.
This archaic verb shows how Middle English used 'de-' like a linguistic eraser—'unsee,' 'unbuild,' 'unlock.' Though we rarely use 'desight' today, we still use this same pattern in modern words like 'deactivate' and 'decompose.'
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.