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.

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desiderata British  

/ dɪˌzɪdəˈrɑːtə /

noun

1. the plural of desideratum

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Example Sentences

But so were regulatory desiderata, such as the question of whether autonomous vehicles need a button for high-beam headlights.

From Slate • Mar. 22, 2016

And more than most works that make that short list, it fulfills the official desiderata that Pulitzer plays reflect and explore the American experience.

From New York Times • May 21, 2010

But not till last week did any one announce a steel with all the desiderata of the machine builder.

From Time Magazine Archive

Many of those who showed up to bid on the desiderata of celebrity were themselves celebrities.

From Time Magazine Archive

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 "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson