Desideriate

Desideriate is an English verb meaning to desire strongly or to long for something; it is now uncommon and typically encountered only in historical, philosophical, or literary contexts. The term traces to Latin desiderare “to desire,” passing into English via Old French desiderer, and it exists as a less common variant of the more standard desiderate. In modern usage, desiderate is the prevailing form, while desideriate appears as a rare or archaic alternative, occasionally found in translations of classical texts or in period prose.

As a verb, desideriate conveys a sense of purposeful or deliberate longing and can be used with objects such as peace, opportunity, or return. When it occurs, it generally carries a formal or elevated tone, often lending weight to the speaker’s or writer’s longing in moral or rhetorical contexts. Because it is not part of everyday speech, contemporary writers usually substitute more common equivalents such as desire, long for, or yearn for.

Related forms include desiderative, an adjective describing things related to or expressing desire; desideratum, a noun for something that is desired or sought after; and desideration, the act or state of desiring. In linguistics and literary usage, desiderative can denote a mood or aspect that signals desire, though this is more specialized than general English usage.

In summary, desideriate is a rare, formal synonym of desire, primarily of interest to readers studying historical texts, philology, or the evolution of English vocabulary.