The word "devastate" is spelled with three syllables: "DE-vas-tate." The first syllable is pronounced with the short e vowel sound, as in "pet." The second syllable, "vas," is pronounced with the short a sound, as in "cat," and the stress is on the first syllable. The final syllable, "tate," is pronounced with a long a sound, as in "late." The word means to completely destroy or ruin something, and it can be used to describe the aftermath of a natural disaster, war, or personal tragedy.
Devastate (verb): To devastate means to utterly destroy, lay waste to, or cause immense damage to something, whether physical, emotional, or metaphorical. This word carries a strong connotation of complete and widespread ruin or destruction, leaving little hope or possibility for recovery or repair.
In the physical sense, to devastate refers to the extensive destruction or devastation of buildings, landscapes, or entire regions caused by natural disasters, warfare, or other catastrophic events. It implies the reduction of a once thriving or functioning entity to a state of desolation or ruins.
In an emotional or personal context, devastate describes the overpowering and profound impact of a traumatic event, loss, or disappointment. It denotes the overwhelming feelings of despair, grief, or shock that can leave a person shattered or completely devastated.
Metaphorically, to devastate suggests causing intense harm or disruption to a system, organization, relationship, or any other structure. It signifies a state of complete disruption, failure, or collapse, where the normal functioning or integrity of something is severely compromised.
Overall, devastate carries a sense of utmost destruction, despair, and helplessness, emphasizing the profound and far-reaching consequences of the devastation.
To lay waste; to ravage; to destroy.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "devastate" has its origins in the Latin word "devastare". It comes from the combination of two components: "de-" meaning "thoroughly" or "completely", and "vastare" meaning "lay waste" or "desolate". The Latin word "vastare" is derived from "vastus", which means "empty", "deserted", or "wilderness". Over time, "devastate" has retained its meaning of causing great destruction, ruin, or devastation.