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.
Related Words
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