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Why is "desolace" not a real word?
There is the adjective and the verb "desolate", but no noun for something that has been made (or left) desolate. The word "Desolace" is found in a computer game World of Warcraft, where it's the name for a desolate region. Someone also mistakenly wrote "desolace of Smaug", referring to Desolation of Smaug in The Hobbit. I think "desolace" makes for a good word, a kind of antonym to "solace".
3 Answers
- St NLv 78 years agoFavorite Answer
To my ears, and eyes, I would go with 'desolance', another word that probably does not exist. The Concise Oxford offers the option of 'desolateness' as a noun but that is rather wimpy as a name of a place. If you have the opportunity, go to your locale library and ask at the reference desk if they have the Oxford Dictionary. It comes in 26 volumes and contains all sorts of words that no one uses anymore such as 'couth', the antonym of 'uncouth'. If they don't have it in hard back, it is available on line so ask them if they have access.
There is no problem with creating your own words, as long as you provide some kind of a definition the first time you use it. In an essay, define it the first time and then your teacher should be happy. I use USAnian regularly as well as s/he, him/er Granther and gentlepeople when the gender is unknown. None of these are my creation but I trust most people understand them.
