Desert vs Dessert
Desert (one S) is the dry, sandy place — the Sahara desert. Dessert (two S's) is the sweet course after a meal — chocolate cake for dessert.
The one-line answer
Desert (one S) is the dry, sandy place — the Sahara desert. Dessert (two S's) is the sweet course after a meal — chocolate cake for dessert.
desert
nouna large dry area with little rain — also a verb meaning 'to abandon' (/dɪˈzɜːt/)
- Camels can survive weeks in the desert.
- Temperatures in the desert drop sharply at night.
- He deserted his post during the crisis. (verb)
dessert
nounthe sweet dish eaten at the end of a meal
- What would you like for dessert?
- The restaurant's signature dessert is tiramisu.
- We skipped dessert because we were full.
Memory trick
Dessert has two S's because you always want a second serving. Desert has one S — like the Sahara, which also has one S.
Desert vs Dessert: Test yourself
Question 1 of 2The ___ stretches for hundreds of miles.