Causing great destruction, damage, or emotional pain; extremely shocking or overwhelming.
From Latin 'devastare,' combining 'de-' (completely) and 'vastare' (to lay waste), from 'vastus' meaning empty or waste. The word entered English in the 17th century to describe total destruction.
The prefix 'de-' in Latin means 'completely,' so 'devastate' literally means 'to completely waste'—this same prefix shows up in 'demolish,' 'delete,' and 'decimate,' all words about total destruction or removal.
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