# Desert. Deserted. Dessert. (I don't think desserted is a word, but I sure like the idea of it) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 23, 2024, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047 "2024-12-23T06:06:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/1 "2024-12-23T06:06:42Z")
Ok. Say in some weird psychic occurrence you fell off a cruise ship. You grabbed an igloo floating by. And got washed up on a beach. It’s a island. Just randomly close enough. No one is on this island. Just lots of sand. Is the island deserted because every one left? Or is it a desert? Like, no water. So deserted. Because of the winds of Araby. Or whatever weather phenomenon causes deserts to be deserted. You get my drift? (And desserts because I want one.) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/2 "2024-12-23T07:25:42Z")
A desert island is a deserted island, not a sandy island. Also, when someone is given their “Just Deserts” it is Justified and Deserved. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/3 "2024-12-23T07:45:57Z")
Desserted should be a word.🍰🧁🥧 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/4 "2024-12-23T15:07:43Z")
And the dry sandy places are called “deserts” because (almost) no one lives there. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/5 "2024-12-23T19:09:07Z")
However there are millions of Fremen living in the sandy wastes of Arrakis. Can we still call it a desert? ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/6 "2024-12-23T22:54:41Z")
Hmm, I don’t think I knew this, but it makes sense. Now I’m wondering if a desert (deserted) island could also be a desert (place with arid climate). It seems to me islands, being surrounded by water, would tend toward the humid, but I’m not sure. P.S. Out of curiosity, I looked up Mount Desert Island, home to Bar Harbor, ME. It was apparently named that because the mountains were bare of vegetation. P.P.S. I’m pretty sure that’s an iceberg, not an igloo, that we glommed onto. Good news for the Inuit! ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/7 "2024-12-23T22:56:42Z")
If you got clobbered with an apple pie a la mode, did you get creamed? ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/8 "2024-12-23T23:03:16Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > If you got clobbered with an apple pie a la mode, did you get creamed? If it had some bourbon or maybe brandy mixed in, you might get pie-eyed. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/9 "2024-12-23T23:08:04Z")
> [@SuntanLotion](#): > > Desserted should be a word.🍰🧁🥧 I agree. “We lunched at Applebee’s, then desserted at Dairy Queen.” > [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > Hmm, I don’t think I knew this, but it makes sense. Now I’m wondering if a desert (deserted) island could also be a desert (place with arid climate). It seems to me islands, being surrounded by water, would tend toward the humid, but I’m not sure. Bahrain (island) and Qatar (peninsula) are mostly sandy desert. Google tells me the current humidity is 85% in Bahrain, and 80% in Qatar . ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/10 "2024-12-23T23:13:39Z")
Igloo, like in beer cooler. Silly. Not someones home. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/11 "2024-12-24T00:07:46Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Igloo, like in beer cooler. Silly. Oh, I knew it was a beer cooler. I was just imagining it as an Iceberg™ beer cooler. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/12 "2024-12-24T00:14:35Z")
Igloos aren’t homes, anyway. They’re temporary hunting shelters. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/13 "2024-12-24T00:37:44Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > Bahrain (island) and Qatar (peninsula) are mostly sandy desert. Google tells me the current humidity is 85% in Bahrain, and 80% in Qatar . Yes, that checks out. Wikipedia describes Bahrain as having an arid climate and also as being extremely humid. I would have said that was impossible and now my head hurts with trying to reconcile it. I’m going to go take temporary shelter in a beer cooler. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/14 "2024-12-24T01:20:51Z")
See what I mean You think on it long enough it starts hurting the old melon. Welcome to my life. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/15 "2024-12-24T11:36:17Z")
I suggest a desert can be defined as having little or no rainfall. That would allow for humid, sandy areas. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/16 "2024-12-24T12:56:44Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > Wikipedia describes Bahrain as having an arid climate and also as being extremely humid. The odd thing is that I didn’t think it was that bad – 115F in the Gulf didn’t bother me near as much as 85F does here in the States. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2024, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/17 "2024-12-26T01:37:47Z")
> [@glee](#): > > I suggest a desert can be defined as having little or no rainfall. > > That would allow for humid, sandy areas. Yes, that’s what it must be, but I just don’t get how. Sand is generally not great at holding heat, which is why deserts are famous for getting cold very quickly at night. If it’s 115 °F and 80% humidity, that means the dew point is like 107 °F. How is it not raining? (Answer: I don’t know as much as I think I know.) ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2024, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/18 "2024-12-27T02:32:58Z")
A desert is defined as an area that gets very little (\<10 inches a year) precipitation. The largest desert on the planet is Antarctica. (The Sahara is the hottest) > **[Desert](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert)** > > A desert is a landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions create unique biomes and ecosystems. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one-third of the land surface of the Earth is arid or semi-arid. This includes much of the polar regions, where little precipitation occurs, and which are sometimes called polar deserts or "cold deserts". Deserts can be classified by the amount of precipitation that falls, by... @SCAdian - do you know what the local time in those places were? ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2024, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/19 "2024-12-27T03:05:58Z")
> [@Zyada](#): > > @SCAdian - do you know what the local time in those places were? You mean these? > [@SCAdian](#): > > Google tells me the current humidity is 85% in Bahrain, and 80% in Qatar . I posted that at 1808 Eastern; they’re eight hours ahead of us, so that would have been 0208. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2024, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-deserted-dessert-i-dont-think-desserted-is-a-word-but-i-sure-like-the-idea-of-it/1012047/20 "2024-12-27T04:24:28Z")
It’s misting in Qatar now, but it will dry out when the sun’s been up a couple of hours