adjective , verb
■ adjective / ˈdesələt; NAmE /
1.
( of a place ) empty and without people, making you feel sad or frightened :
a bleak and desolate landscape
2.
very lonely and unhappy
SYN forlorn
■ verb
/ ˈdesəleɪt/ [ vn ] [ usually passive ] ( literary ) to make sb feel sad and without hope :
She had been desolated by the death of her friend.
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Latin desolatus abandoned, past participle of desolare , from de- thoroughly + solus alone.