devastation
/ˌdɛvəˈsteɪʃən/
noun
Origin
Latin
devastare — to lay waste
Overview
Meaning Now
- Great destruction or damage.
- Severe and overwhelming shock or grief.
Literal older meaning
the act of laying waste
Language path
Latin → Middle French → English
Earliest form
devastation
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The word traces back to the Latin 'vastus', meaning 'empty' or 'waste', which is also the root for 'vast'. The prefix 'de-' intensifies the verb 'vastare', emphasizing the complete nature of the ruin being described.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*wāst-
“empty, desolate”
- Latin
vastare
“to lay waste, devastate”
- Late Latin
devastatio
“the act of ravaging”
- Middle French
dévastation
“destruction”
- English, 1600s
devastation
“the action of laying waste”
Connections
Word parts
de-
prefix
thoroughly or away
vast
root
empty, waste
-ation
suffix
the process of
Related across languages
French
dévastation
devastation
Italian
devastazione
devastation
Explore next
Related to devastation
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.