Severe and widespread destruction or damage, or the state of being severely damaged. It can refer to both physical destruction and emotional trauma.
From Latin 'devastare,' meaning 'to lay waste' (de- 'completely' + vastare 'to make empty' from 'vastus' meaning 'empty' or 'waste'). The word originally described making land completely empty or barren, like a wasteland.
Think of 'de-' (completely) + 'vast' (empty) - devastation makes everything completely vast and empty! It's like turning a thriving area into a vast, empty wasteland where nothing remains.
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