Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
DESERT
I. noun see: series
Date: 13th century
1. arid land with usually sparse vegetation, an area of water apparently devoid of life, a wild uninhabited and uncultivated tract, a desolate or forbidding area , desertic adjective desertlike adjective
II. adjective
Date: 13th century
desolate and sparsely occupied or unoccupied , of or relating to a desert, forsaken,
III. noun
Etymology: Middle English deserte, from Anglo-French, from feminine of desert, past participle of deservir to deserve
Date: 13th century
the quality or fact of deserving reward or punishment, deserved reward or punishment, excellence , worth ,
IV. verb
Etymology: French déserter, from Late Latin desertare, frequentative of Latin deserere
Date: 1603
transitive verb to withdraw from or leave usually without intent to return ,
2. to leave in the lurch , to abandon (military service) without leave, intransitive verb to quit one's post, allegiance, or service without leave or justification, see: abandon deserter noun