bereft
UK: bɪˈreft | US: bɪˈreft
adj. deprived of or lacking something (especially a non-material asset)
adj. (archaic) robbed or stripped by force
bereft = be<thoroughly/completely> + reft<seized/taken>
- be-: A prefix from Old English, intensifying the meaning of the root ("thoroughly" or "completely").
- reft: Past participle of "reave" (Old English rēafian), meaning "to seize or take by force."
Etymology Origin:
"Bereft" originates from Old English berēafian ("to deprive, rob"), combining the intensifying prefix be- with rēafian ("to plunder"). The word evolved to emphasize a state of complete loss, often abstract (e.g., hope, love) but originally literal (e.g., possessions). The modern sense retains the core idea of being stripped of something vital.
She felt bereft after her best friend moved away.
The war left many children bereft of parents.
His voice was bereft of emotion as he delivered the news.
The abandoned house stood bereft of its former grandeur.
The villagers were bereft of supplies after the flood.