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desert

[/ˈdɛzərt/ (noun/adj); /dɪˈzɜrt/ (verb)]
noun/verb/adjectivemasculine (when noun in Portuguese)pl: deserts (English); desertos (Portuguese)
deserto (noun); abandonar (verb); deserto (adjective)
1. A large arid region with little rainfall, sparse vegetation, and often sandy soil
The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world.
O Saara é o maior deserto quente do mundo.
2. To abandon or leave someone/something, especially in a time of need
He deserted his family during their hardest times.
Ele abandonou sua família nos momentos mais difíceis.
3. Empty, barren, or uninhabited
The streets were desert-like after the evacuation.
As ruas pareciam um deserto após a evacuação.
Synonyms
wastelandarid regionabandonforsakeleave
Antonyms
oasisfertile landstayremainsupport

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
deserto
Standard term for arid landscape; abandonar for the verb
Rio de Janeiro
deserto
No significant regional variation
São Paulo
deserto
No significant regional variation
Portugal
deserto
Identical usage; less common due to climate, but used metaphorically

Related Idioms & Phrases

desert someone in their time of need
a desert of loneliness
like a desert (empty and barren)
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