sere

¹ American  

[seer] / sɪər /

Or sear

adjective

1. dry; withered.

   Synonyms:

   wizened, desiccated, arid

---

sere ² American  

[seer] / sɪər /

noun

1. the series of stages in an ecological succession.

---

sere ¹ British  

/ sɪə /

noun

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

---

sere ² British  

/ sɪə /

adjective

1. archaic dried up or withered

---

verb

1. a rare spelling of sear 1

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

---

Etymology

Origin of sere¹

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

Origin of sere²

First recorded in 1915–20; back formation from series

Example Sentences

Indeed, the opening image of “Bardo” suggests that Iñárritu has created “Birdman 2.0,” as a man, seen only as his shadow, repeatedly takes flight over a sere desert landscape.

From Washington Post • Nov. 9, 2022

Thirst becomes the overarching metaphor for human desire in a sere landscape.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 2, 2022

The landscape is dry and sere, but a ribbon of green shrubs and trees flourishes along the creek.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 4, 2021

Winter is the best time for walking, May insists in this wide-ranging rumination on the sere, dark, cold season.

From Slate • Dec. 16, 2020

The desert sharpened the sweet ache of his longing, amplified it, gave shape to it in sere geology and clean slant of light.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer