/ ˈdevəsteɪt; NAmE / verb [ vn ]
1.
to completely destroy a place or an area :
The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city.
2.
[ often passive ] to make sb feel very shocked and sad
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 17th cent.: from Latin devastat- laid waste, from the verb devastare , from de- thoroughly + vastare lay waste.