devastation
/ˌdɛ.vəˈsteɪ.ʃən/
devastation means the act of devastating, or the state of being devastated; a laying waste. It carries an Arena rating of 1790, earned across 6 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, devastation ranks #742 of 17,131 for Scariest Words, #1,155 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #2,286 of 17,128 for Most Ponderous Words, #6,053 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books.
devastation is pronounced /ˌdɛ.vəˈsteɪ.ʃən/.
Why “devastation” is a great word
Devastation is the severe and widespread destruction or ruin that results in an utter emptiness. From Middle French dévastation, from Late Latin dēvastātiōnem, from Latin dēvastātus, past participle of dēvastāre ("to lay waste"), from de- ("completely") + vastāre ("to lay waste, make empty"). Unlike havoc, which crackles with chaotic tumult, or ravage, which stresses a violent, tearing action, devastation is the profound silence that follows—the bomb-cratered field after the battle, the skeletal silhouette of a forest after the fire, the hollowed-out expression of the survivor who has lost everything. It is the bleak and absolute grammar of absence, the world emptied and not yet named again.
Etymology
From Middle French dévastation.
noun
- The act of devastating, or the state of being devastated; a laying waste.
- Waste or misapplication of the assets of a deceased person by an executor or administrator; devastavit.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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