What Does Desert Mean?

In geographic terms, a desert basically is a landscape form or area which gets very little precipitation. They are usually defined as regions which receive a standard yearly rainfall of less than 250mm.

The expressions used to describe a desert is quiet compound "True deserts" where vegetation cover is extremely thin, in exchange to the hyperarid areas of the earth, where rainfall is extremely rare and irregular. Though deserts are a portion of a much bigger classification of regions, which on yearly basis have a moisture shortage, these regions are jointly known as "dry lands".

These "dry lands" expand over approximately half of the earth's land surface. It is said that deserts cover one-fifth portion of the Earths land surface and are famous for supporting very less life.

In geographical terms, the word desert is defined as an arid land which has very little or no vegetation at all. It does not receive much rainfall, and consequently, does not support many life forms. Approximately one-third of the total surface area of the earth is covered by deserts. The Sahara Desert, which covers most of the northern part of the continent of Africa, is the largest desert in the world.

When an individual deserts (someone), it means that that person has abandoned or left someone who needs or counts on him or her, or left that person in the lurch. Such a person is known as a deserter. To desert is to defect from a cause, a country or an army. This is often done by people in order to join the opposing cause, country or army. A deserted place is one which is desolate or located in a dismal or remote area.