These two words look alike, but they don’t mean the same thing. A desert is a dry, often sandy region with little or no plants. Dessert is the sweet course that comes at the end of a meal. Easy enough to mix them up, but the context makes it clear which one fits.
Using desert
Most of the time, desert is a noun. It’s the name for an arid landscape that gets very little rain. But it’s also a verb meaning to leave or abandon someone or something. The meaning depends on how you use it.
Examples
- The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world.
- After waiting an hour, John chose to desert the café.
- Soldiers are warned not to desert their posts.
Parts of speech
- Noun: The desert can be dangerous for an unprepared traveler.
- Verb: They couldn’t believe he would desert his family.
Pronunciation
- Noun: DEZ-ert
- Verb: di-ZURT
Using dessert
Dessert is only a noun. It’s the final course of a meal, usually sweet—think cake, pie, ice cream. It’s the part people often look forward to.
Examples
- For dessert, we had apple pie with vanilla ice cream.
- She skipped the main course and went straight to dessert.
- The children waited impatiently for their chocolate dessert.
Parts of speech
- Noun: The highlight of the evening was the dessert.
- Noun: They offered cakes, cookies, and mousses.
Pronunciation
- Noun: di-ZURT
Quick way to remember
Desert with one “s” can mean a dry place or the act of leaving. Its stress changes depending on the meaning. Dessert with two “s” is always the sweet course, always stressed on the second syllable. You might think of the extra “s” as the extra sweetness.
So, next time you write or speak—are you talking about sand or sugar?
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