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désolation

desolation, devastation

noun deh-zoh-lah-SYOHN Rare

Origin: Latin desolatio, abandonment

Also means

grief, despair

Usage Note

Désolation describes both a physical scene of ruin (un paysage de désolation) and profound emotional grief. Its adjective désolé is the everyday word for 'sorry', but désolation itself is literary and stronger in register.

Examples

"Le paysage offrait un spectacle de désolation."

Natural Translation

The landscape offered a scene of desolation.

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