sere

¹ American  

[seer] / sɪər /

Or sear

adjective

1. dry; withered.

   Synonyms:

   wizened, desiccated, arid

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sere ² American  

[seer] / sɪər /

noun

1. the series of stages in an ecological succession.

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sere ¹ British  

/ sɪə /

adjective

1. archaic dried up or withered

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verb

1. a rare spelling of sear 1

sere ² British  

/ sɪə /

noun

1. the series of changes occurring in the ecological succession of a particular community

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sere Scientific  

/ sîr /

1. The entire sequence of ecological communities successively occupying an area from the initial stage to the climax community.

2. See more at succession

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Etymology

Origin of sere¹

before 900; Middle English seer ( e ), Old English sēar; see sear ¹

Origin of sere²

First recorded in 1915–20; back formation from series

Explanation

You can describe something that is dried up, withered, or without moisture with the adjective sere. The desert climate, for example, is sere, as is your skin after a day in the wind. Sere’s shriveled and withered meaning crops up in things like Shakespeare's Macbeth ("My way of life Is fall’n into the sere, the yellow leaf;" 5:III), or in archaic references to Sere-month (August), but it isn't frequently used in modern conversation. The variant spelling of sere is sear, which has other meanings that see more modern use.

Example Sentences

She recalls his churning legs over sere earth.

From New York Times • Dec. 13, 2023

And in that sere landscape, you watch as a man’s identity dries up and blows away.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 8, 2022

Angel Reese had 20 points to lead the Terrapins, who sere seeking their first win over a No. 1 team since topping North Carolina in 2006.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 12, 2021

A sere moonscape of rock, sand and mountains, portions of the park lie 282 feet below sea level, the lowest point in North America.

From Washington Post • Jul. 10, 2021

My way of life, new line, Is fall’n into the sere and yellow leaf.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood