desiderate

Desiderate is a verb in English meaning to desire, long for, or wish for something to occur or exist. It is chiefly found in older or formal prose and is rarely used in contemporary speech. As a transitive verb, it can take a direct object, as in “to desiderate a return to peace” or “to desiderate release.” In practice, most writers substitute “desire” or “long for” instead. The noun most closely related is desideratum, meaning something that is desired; its plural is desiderata.

Etymology and history: Desiderate derives from Latin desideratus, the past participle of desiderare, “to desire, long for.” It entered English via Old French and Middle English, with usage traced to the 15th century and onward. The form retains a distinctly literary or archaic flavor today.

Usage and nuance: The sense emphasizes a wish for something that may be not immediately attainable or practical. It can carry a philosophical or theological tone and is more common in historical, philosophical, or academic writings than in everyday modern prose. Because of its archival feel, it is often replaced by simpler verbs in contemporary usage.

Related terms: In linguistics, the desiderative (or desiderative mood) describes a grammatical form that expresses desire about an action. The adjective desiderative is sometimes used in scholarly contexts to discuss such forms, whereas desiderate itself is primarily a verb.

See also: desideratum; desiderata; desiderative.