- Today's Word
Bereft
buh-REFT
Definition
- (adjective) Lacking or deprived of something, especially something emotionally important.
Example
He felt utterly bereft after the passing of his beloved dog.
Fun Fact
“Bereft” is the past participle of “bereave”—yes, the same root as “bereavement.” Often tied to grief or emotional emptiness, it’s a poetic word used in literature, such as in Tennyson’s line: “Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all,” which perfectly captures that bereft feeling.
(adjective) Distant from the ordinary; elevated, refined, or thin (as in air at high altitudes).
The scientist’s rarefied theories fascinated her peers but left the public scratching their heads.
From Latin rarefacere, meaning “to make thin.”