de-

1. Containing or consisting of description.
2. Serving mainly to label, describe, or classify.

A branch of human studies that provides scientific descriptions of individual societies of people.

In a descriptive manner that refers to, constitutes, or is grounded in matters of observation or experience.

1. To cause harm to something holy, or to do harm to that which is offensive to the religious nature of something: The local vandals were accused of desecrating several graves by throwing paint on the sites at the cemetery.
2. To damage something that is held dear or which is revered: People were warned not to desecrate the flags of any of the countries that were participating in the international sports event.
3. To treat something that has special religious respect to a profane (disrespectful) use or purpose: A homeless street person went into the church, which was open for those who wanted to come in and pray, and desecrated the holy water font by washing his hands and face, which normally is used by worshippers who enter to dip their fingers into and to cross themselves. © ALL rights are reserved.

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1. A violator of the respected character of a place or a language: The soldier on horseback was viewed as a descrater of the church after riding his horse into the sanctuary.
2. The disrespectful or contemptuous treatment of that which is held to be greatly honored by others: Two soldiers were accused of being desecraters of the religious books of their prisoners.

1. Blasphemous behavior or the act of depriving something of its divine character: It was a complete desecration of the cemetery when the army drove their tanks through the burial grounds.
2. Damage done to or showing no respect towards something holy or very much respected: The desecration of the windows of the church was heart breaking for the congregation when they saw what had happened.

1. To put an end to a customary, or enforced, separation of ethnic or racial groups based on gender in a place or institution; for example, in a workplace or a school: The members of the union of school janitors voted to desegregate their union and to welcome women as equal members.
2. To admit affiliates of all races or ethnic groups equally; especially, by force of law: The Civil Rights movement in the United States made significant gains when it was able to desegregate many schools, lunch counters, etc.

1. The action of incorporating a racial or religious body of people into a community: The members of the local church were proud to have been the first to incorporate policies of desegregation into their bylaws.
2. The elimination of laws, customs, or practices under which different races, assemblages, etc., are restricted to specific or separate public facilities, neighborhoods, schools, organizations, or similar groups and places: The desegregation of the local schools, accomplished by the use of military forces, caused huge negative reactions in the neighborhood.

Someone who advocates, or enforces, the opening of places and organizations to people of all races, genders, and ethnic groups, etc.: Martin Luther King was well-known as a desegregationist and he was assassinated by someone who was opposed to Mr. King's fight for equality of all races.

In medicine, to make (a person, animal, or tissue) nonreactive or nonallergic to a substance by removing the antibodies from affected cells or tissues: In an effort to control his allergies, Jason and the doctor went through a process of desensitization to eliminate the antibodies that were causing his sneezing.

To decrease one's physical sensation or feeling, to deaden, or to anesthetize parts of the body: The doctor was desensitizing Jim's arm before removing the lump that was causing him so much pain.

1. A substance that promotes drying; for example, calcium oxide or silica gel, absorbs water and is used to remove moisture: Desiccants have a high affinity for moisture and they are used as drying agents.
2. A drying agent or a soluble, or insoluble, chemical substance that has such a great affinity for water that it will abstract water from many fluid materials: Henry was looking for a desiccant that loses or causes the loss of moisture.

A descriptive term referring to something that dries or causes anything to be dry.

1. To dry up; to preserve by drying or depriving of moisture; especially, to dry completely: The surgeon removed a suspect mole and thoroughly desiccated the tissue around that area with a needle electrode.
2. To preserve food by drying or dehydrating it: While baking a cake, Elizabeth used a cup of desiccated coconut.

It is a common practice to desiccate apricots.

3. Etymology: from Latin desiccare, "to dry up".

1. A reference to something from which the water has been removed: The desiccated food products can last much longer than the same produce that has not been dried.

The market is offering some desiccated coconut for customers to try out.

The rain was very welcome because the desiccated land could not produce any crops without the needed moisture.