waste
waste
UK[weɪst]US[weɪst]
v
To use or expend something carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose.
v
To become progressively weaker and thinner; to deteriorate.
n
An act or instance of using something carelessly or extravagantly.
n
Unwanted or unusable material, substances, or by-products.
adj
(of a material, substance, or by-product) Eliminated or discarded as no longer useful or required.
Etymology
The word 'waste' entered English via Anglo-Norman French from the Old Northern French 'waster', itself from Latin 'vastāre' meaning 'to lay waste, devastate, or make empty'. This Latin verb is derived from 'vastus', meaning 'empty, desolate, or immense'. The core semantic thread from its ancient origins to modern usage is the concept of creating emptiness or desolation, whether through destructive action (to lay waste) or through the inefficient use of resources (to waste time), leading to the state of being used up, discarded, or rendered worthless. The sense of 'unwanted material' is a natural extension of this idea, referring to the empty or worthless by-products of consumption.
Analysis
The modern English word 'waste' is a simplex form derived from a single, fused root.
Examples
We must not waste this precious opportunity.
The project was abandoned, a complete waste of time and money.
The city has improved its methods for recycling household waste.