Meanings
present singular third person deperishes · participle present deperishing · participle past deperished · past deperished
- intransitiverareTo waste away; to deteriorate.
We shall pull him through this awkward pass; but sometimes I fear that we shall do so only to see him deperish from mere inanition and want of nourishment ...
1978, Patrick O'Brian, “Chapter Six”, in "Desolation Island", page 1481 more example
One can assume that, the world takes care of its own. But, the being that chooses to renounce the needs of the self for the benefit of the whole should reap much fruit. It will likely not break down as it is supple. It will likely not deperish as fast as that which creates exaggerated friction within the whole. It will likely develop more gracefully, having allowed the world to develop freely within itself.
2014, Aleph Alpha, "Words of Tomorrow"
Origin
- Latindeperīre“to die down, to perish gradually”
- Old Frenchdeperiss-
- Middle Englishdeperishen
- Englishdeperish
From Middle English deperishen, from Old French deperiss-, extended stem of deperir, from Latin deperīre (“to die down, to perish gradually”).
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
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Cite this entry
deperish. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deperish
“deperish.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deperish. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “deperish,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deperish.
Source: deperish on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.