Sere
/sɪər/noun
Dry, withered, or decayed, especially after being exposed to heat or age.
Did you know?In Old English poetry, related forms were used for things made dry or parched, and the word’s harsh, stripped-down feel helped it survive as a literary word for decay and desolation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sers-
“to dry up or become dry”
Old English
OE
sēar
“dry, withered, faded”
Middle English
ME
sere
“dry, withered, shriveled”
Modern English
English
sere
“dry and withered; bare or desolate”