bereft

[ bih-reft ]
/ bɪˈrɛft /

verb

a simple past tense and past participle of bereave.

adjective

deprived: They are bereft of their senses. He is bereft of all happiness.

Origin of bereft

First recorded in 1525–35; be- + reft

Definition for bereft (2 of 2)

bereave
[ bih-reev ]
/ bɪˈriv /

verb (used with object), be·reaved or be·reft, be·reav·ing.

to deprive and make desolate, especially by death (usually followed by of): Illness bereaved them of their mother.
to deprive ruthlessly or by force (usually followed by of): The war bereaved them of their home.
Obsolete. to take away by violence.

Origin of bereave

before 900; Middle English bereven, Old English berēafian; cognate with Dutch berooven, German berauben, Gothic biraubōn. See be-, reave1

OTHER WORDS FROM bereave

be·reave·ment, noun be·reav·er, noun

Example sentences from the Web for bereft

British Dictionary definitions for bereft (1 of 2)

bereft
/ (bɪˈrɛft) /

adjective

(usually foll by of) deprived; parted (from) bereft of hope

British Dictionary definitions for bereft (2 of 2)

bereave
/ (bɪˈriːv) /

verb (tr)

(usually foll by of) to deprive (of) something or someone valued, esp through death
obsolete to remove by force
See also bereft

Word Origin for bereave

Old English bereafian; see reave 1