devastation

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˌdɛvəˈsteɪʃən/ UK /ˌdɛvəˈsteɪʃən/ See IPA manual

noun

Meanings

1

noun
severe and widespread destruction or ruin

The hurricane left a trail of devastation along the coast.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · severe and widespread... destruction ruin desolation havoc ravage wreckage annihilation

Opposites

restoration construction rebuilding

Word family

Related forms devastatedevastatorvast

Etymology

From Latin devastatio, from devastare ('to lay waste completely'), from de- (intensive) + vastare ('to lay waste'), from vastus ('empty, waste').

devastare Latin vastus Latin *h₁weh₂- Proto-Indo-European

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Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

# devastation

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** ˌdɛvəˈsteɪʃən
**IPA (UK):** ˌdɛvəˈsteɪʃən

## Meanings
1. severe and widespread destruction or ruin

## Examples
- The hurricane left a trail of devastation along the coast.

## Synonyms
- destruction
- ruin
- desolation
- havoc
- ravage
- wreckage
- annihilation

## Antonyms
- restoration
- construction
- rebuilding

## Related Forms
- devastate
- devastator
- vast

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: devastare
- Root: vastus
- Root: *h₁weh₂-

## Etymology
From Latin devastatio, from devastare ('to lay waste completely'), from de- (intensive) + vastare ('to lay waste'), from vastus ('empty, waste').

## AI Etymology
Devastation is from Latin devastatio, from devastare ('to lay waste completely'), from de- (intensive) + vastare ('to lay waste'), from vastus ('empty, waste'). Important recorded forms include devastare (Latin), vastus (Latin), and *h₁weh₂- (Proto-Indo-European). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers severe and widespread destruction or ruin. The wider family includes related words such as devastate, devastator, and vast.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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devastation

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