A state of complete emptiness or destruction; anguished misery or loneliness.
From Latin desolatio, from desolare meaning 'to abandon, forsake,' composed of de- (completely) and solus (alone). The word entered Middle English via Old French, initially describing abandoned places before extending to emotional states.
Desolation captures both physical and emotional emptiness in one powerful word - think of post-apocalyptic landscapes or the feeling after a devastating loss. The word's Latin roots literally mean 'completely alone,' which perfectly captures why desolate places feel so psychologically unsettling to humans as social creatures.
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