Desert and Dessert

by Craig Shrives
The Quick Answer
What is the difference between desert and dessert?

Desert means arid land or to abandon.
Dessert is the sweet course at the end of a meal.
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desert or dessert?

Desert or Dessert?

The words desert and dessert look similar, but they are very different in meaning.

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Dessert

A dessert is typically the final course of a meal. It is usually sweet (e.g., ice cream, cake, pudding).
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An example of a dessert

Desert

The word desert can be an adjective, noun, or verb. It has the following meanings:

Arid land with little or no vegetation.


The Sahara Desert
  • The plants and animals possess special features which allow them to cope with the desert conditions.
    • (Desert is an adjective in this example.)
  • An ice desert is defined as a polar area that supports little or no vegetation and that is permanently covered by snow and ice.
    • (Desert is a noun in this example.)
To abandon or to defect or to leave in the lurch.
  • If disturbed too often, the adult birds will desert the fledglings.
  • If you desert, you will be shot when you're caught.
    • (Desert is a verb in these examples.)
To leave behind.
  • As soon as the bell went, the kids deserted the building.
    • (Desert is a verb in this example.)

Interactive Exercise
Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.

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See Also

adverse or averse? affect or effect? appraise or apprise? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? tenant or tenet? who's or whose? What are adjectives? What are nouns? What are verbs? List of easily confused words