desertification
|de-ser-ti-fi-ca-tion|
🇺🇸
/ˌdɛzərtɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
🇬🇧
/ˌdɛzətɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/
making land like a desert
Etymology
'desertification' originates from French/Modern Latin formation, specifically from the noun 'desert' + the suffix '-ification' (from Latin '-ficare' via French) meaning 'making or becoming'.
'desertification' was formed in English in the 20th century from 'desert' (which comes from Old French/Middle English derived from Latin 'deserere' meaning 'to abandon') combined with the noun-forming suffix '-ification', producing the sense 'making into a desert'.
Initially the root 'desert' referred to an 'abandoned place' or naturally barren land; over time the compound 'desertification' came to mean the process (often human-influenced) by which land becomes desert-like.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agricultural practices.
Desertification has reduced the amount of arable land available to local farmers.
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Noun 2
(Technical/UN usage) Degradation of land in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities.
The UN Convention to Combat Desertification focuses on preventing and reversing desertification in vulnerable regions.
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Last updated: 2025/11/28 17:07