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desiderata

American  
[dih-sid-uh-rey-tuh, -rah-, -zid-] / dɪˌsɪd əˈreɪ tə, -ˈrɑ-, -ˌzɪd- /

plural noun

singular

desideratum
  1. things wanted or needed; the plural of desideratum.

    “Happily-ever-after” and “eternal love” appear to be the desiderata of the current generation, to whom “fat chance” say those of us who are older, wiser, and more curmudgeonly.


desiderata British  
/ dɪˌzɪdəˈrɑːtə /

noun

  1. the plural of desideratum

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

These desiderata don’t all pull in the same direction.

From New York Times

So many talents, so many different attractions, so much money, elegance, and beauty on display, but—and it’s a trivial observation—this multitude of desiderata is inevitably spread out among a large group of people.

From Literature

Kindness, humility, piety, respect for other human creatures—these are the great desiderata of all who pursue virtuous action, and it matters not whether those who preach them heed their own advice.

From Literature

They were able to realise one of the desiderata of stem-cell science and investigate the condition of a particular individual who has microcephaly.

From Economist

With their keen inventor's instinct, the now successful arc-light men have early recognized the desiderata of a constant current machine.

From Project Gutenberg