derelict

pronunciation

How to pronounce derelict in British English: UK [ˈderəlɪkt]word uk audio image

How to pronounce derelict in American English: US [ˈderəlɪkt] word us audio image

  • Noun:
    a person unable to support himself
    a ship abandoned on the high seas
  • Adjective:
    deserted or abandoned as by an owner
    failing in what duty requires

Word Origin

derelict (adj.)
1640s, from Latin derelictus "solitary, deserted," past participle of dereliquere "to abandon, forsake, desert," from de- "entirely" + relinquere "leave behind" (see relinquish). Originally especially of vessels abandoned at sea or stranded on shore. As a noun, from 1660s.

Example

1. Corrupt officials deem properties " derelict " while secretly allocating them to friendly developers .
2. It is courting chinese sovereign-wealth funds to develop liverpool 's derelict northern dockyards .
3. Opponents believe derelict industrial sites within bath should be used first to meet government housing targets .
4. In ' nostalghia , ' there is a scene where he shows this old derelict church in the rain .
5. Like many of the 19th-century buildings in birmingham 's eastside , it has been derelict ever since .

more: >How to Use "derelict" with Example Sentences