desert

{{11}}desert (n.¹) "wasteland," early 13c., from O.Fr. desert (12c.) "desert, wilderness, wasteland; destruction, ruin," from L.L. desertum (Cf. It. diserto, O.Prov. dezert, Sp. desierto), lit. "thing abandoned" (used in Vulgate to translate "wilderness"), noun use of neut. pp. of L. deserere "forsake" (see DESERT (Cf. desert) (v.)). Sense of "waterless, treeless region" was in M.E. and gradually became the main meaning. Commonly spelled desart in 18c., which is not etymological but at least avoids confusion with the other two senses of the word. Classical Latin indicated this idea with deserta, plural of desertus.

{{12}}desert (n.²) "suitable reward or punishment" (now usually plural and with just), c.1300, from O.Fr. deserte, noun use of pp. of deservir "be worthy to have," ultimately from L. deservire "serve well" (see DESERVE (Cf. deserve)).

{{12}}desert (v.) "to leave one's duty," late 14c., from O.Fr. deserter (12c.) "leave," lit. "undo or sever connection," from L.L. desertare, frequentative of L. deserere "to abandon, to leave, forsake, give up, leave in the lurch," from de- "undo" (see DE- (Cf. de-)) + serere "join together, put in a row" (see SERIES (Cf. series)). Military sense is first recorded 1640s. Related: Deserted; deserting.