Spanish Conversation · Level 152
30 words
Spanish word
desterrar
Pronunciation
IPA/desteˈraɾ/
Meaning
- verbexile
Example
El pueblo decidió desterrar al criminal.
The townspeople decided to exile the criminal.
More examples
La campaña pretende desterrar el mito sobre esa enfermedad.
The campaign aims to dispel the myth about that disease.
Core concept
Exile from a territory or from public life.
Common phrases
desterrar la idea
eradicate the idea
desterrar el mito
dispel the myth
Similar words
echar: Drives someone out of a place or crowd in informal situations, often by telling or pushing them.
expulsar: Removes a person or object from a place by force or official authority, often as punishment.
Definition in Spanish
Quitar a alguien de un lugar, especialmente enviándolo fuera del territorio o apartándolo de la vida pública.
Word origin
From Latin de- 'away' + terra 'land', originally meaning to send someone away from the land and now used to mean banishing someone from a place or from public standing.
Usage tips
- It is used mainly in formal, legal, or historical contexts and can sound too strong in casual conversation, where expulsar or apartar is more natural.