The words ‘desert’ and ‘dessert’ look alike but imply different meanings when understood clearly. The term ‘desert’ which contains one ‘s’ is the dry and arid landscape which forms part of the earth such as the Thar Desert in India and the Sahara Desert in Africa whereas the term ‘dessert’ which contains double ‘s’ is the sweet dish usually served with meals such as ice creams, etc.
These two terms can be confusing in the context of their usage but one can differentiate between the two with the help of their pronunciation and spellings.
Desert vs Dessert
The main difference between desert and dessert is that the former is used to refer to the arid and dry landscape with little or no vegetation whereas the latter term is used to depict the sweet dish or food served usually on special occasions.
‘Desert’ can be hot or cold where there is a negligible sign of vegetation. In addition to it, the same term is also used as a verb which refers to abandoning. ‘Dessert’ on the other hand is just used as a noun with one implied meaning of sweet dish.
Comparison Table Between Desert and Dessert (in Tabular Form)
| Parameter of Comparison | Desert | Dessert |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | ‘Desert’ is the term used to refer to an arid and hostile landscape which forms part of the earth. | ‘Dessert’ is the term used to the sweet meal eaten after the main course such as cakes, etc. |
| Usage | This word can be used as both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it means the harsh landscape whereas as a verb it means to abandon. | This term usually imposed only one meaning as a noun and that is the sweet meal. |
| Connotations | ‘Desert’ is not a place or position of luxury for any individual because of its hostile survival conditions. | ‘Dessert’ is the position of luxury and privilege because not everyone can afford it. |
| Spelling | To distinguish each term from another, spelling is important. ‘Desert’ is the term with single’s’ where the emphasis is on the last syllable. | ‘Dessert’ is the term with double‘s’ where stress is laid on the second syllable. |
| Examples | Some of the examples of deserts around the globe are: · Hot deserts- Sahara desert in Africa, Arabian Desert, etc. · Cold Deserts- Atacama | ‘desserts’ can be of different types such as puddings, ice creams, cakes, pastries, etc. |
What is Desert?
‘Desert’ is the term that is used to denote the arid and hostile landscape with less or no vegetation that forms part of the earth. Deserts can majorly be of two kinds that are cold desert or hot desert. Desert is the place with harsh and difficult survival conditions. When used as a noun the word has an emphasis on the last syllable and means the landscape.
This term has multiple meanings. When used as a verb, the means to abandon something or someone. This act of leaving is called ‘deserting’. This can be explained with the help of an example: ‘Harry always deserts the pets he adopts’.
Some of the examples of great deserts (landscapes) are- Sahara Desert, Gobi Desert, Atacama Desert, etc. to keep the difference intact in mind one should remember the formula that is of the difference in spelling. The word ‘desert’ has single‘s’ in it.
What is Dessert?
‘Dessert’ is the term used to refers to the sweet dish served after the main course meal usually on some special occasions. The word is used as a noun as usually the last syllable is emphasized. It is a kind of luxury or a privilege that everyone can’t afford. Being a supplement dish adds to the meaning of seeing it as a privilege.
The term is mostly used as a noun, which denotes the only single meaning of a delicious and sweet dish that is served after the main course meal. ‘Dessert’ is a term that has double’s’ (where the second syllable is of emphasized) in its spelling which makes it easier to be differentiated from the other word.
Some of the examples of desserts can be: pudding, ice creams, cakes, pastries, etc. one should note that the word ‘dessert’ doesn’t have more than one meaning and is always used as a noun.
Conclusion
The words ‘desert’ and ‘dessert’ are used interchangeably but imply different meanings and have different pronunciation. ‘Desert’ refers to multiple meanings when used differently. As a verb, it means to abandon something or someone without permission whereas as a noun it means any dry and arid landscape with less or no vegetation. ‘Dessert’ is the term that means any sweet dish or mal that is served on special occasions after the main course meal.
Both these terms are difficult to decipher but one apparent characteristic to distinguish the two terms is the presence of extra’s’ in the spelling of ‘dessert’. Also, the different pronunciation can be of great help to demarcate the two. In the word ‘desert’ the emphasis is on the last syllable whereas in the word ‘dessert’ the emphasis is on the second syllable.
One should understand that the ‘dessert’ is the luxury or privilege whereas ‘desert’ is the place where survival is harsh and hostile.
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert
- https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dessert