Spanish word

desperdiciar

Pronunciation

IPA/despeɾðiˈθjaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbwaste

Example

No quiero desperdiciar mi tiempo.

I don't want to waste my time.

Illustration for desperdiciar (waste)

More examples

No debemos desperdiciar comida.

We must not waste food.

Core concept

Hands letting sand fall.

Common phrases

  • desperdiciar el tiempo

    waste time

  • desperdiciar comida

    waste food

  • desperdiciar una oportunidad

    waste an opportunity

Similar words

perder: Loses time or chances so they cannot be recovered.
malgastar: Spends money or time unnecessarily, reducing available resources.
desaprovechar: Fails to take advantage of a given opportunity, leaving potential unused.

Definition in Spanish

Usar o perder tiempo, talento o recursos de manera que no produzca beneficio.

Word origin

The verb traces to Latin perdere 'to lose' with an added dis-/des- prefix and reaches Spanish via Romance forms, yielding the meaning of causing time, chances, or abilities to be lost.

Usage tips

  • Despite its spelling, desperdiciar is unrelated to English 'desperate' and specifically denotes squandering time, opportunities, or talent rather than expressing urgency.

Other meanings

  • squanderverb
  • fritter awayverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word