desolate, desolation

Definition

The terms "desolate" and "desolation" refer to destroying an inhabited region so that it becomes uninhabited.

When referring to a person, the term desolate describes a condition of ruin, loneliness, and grief.
If a field where crops are growing is made desolate, it means that something has destroyed the crops, such as insects or an invading army.
A "desolate region" refers to an area of land where few crops or vegetation grow and so few people live there.
A "desolate land" or "wilderness" was often where outcasts (such as lepers) and dangerous animals lived.
If a city is "made desolate" it means that its buildings and goods have been destroyed or stolen, and its people have been killed or captured. The city becomes "empty" and "ruined."
Depending on the context, this term could be translated as "ruined" or "destroyed" or "laid waste" or "lonely and outcast."