Chaparral vs. Desert: What's the Difference?

An area covered by a dense growth of mostly small-leaved evergreen shrubs, especially in central and southern California.

A dry, often sandy region of little rainfall, extreme temperatures, and sparse vegetation.

(US) A region of shrubs, typically dry in the summer and rainy in the winter. The coast of the Mediterranean is such a region.

A region of permanent cold that is largely or entirely devoid of life.

The foliage of creosote bush, Larrea divaricata, when used as a medicinal herb.

An apparently lifeless area of water.

A thicket of low evergreen oaks.

An empty or forsaken place; a wasteland

An almost impenetrable thicket or succession of thickets of thorny shrubs and brambles.

(Archaic) A wild and uninhabited region.

Dense vegetation consisting of stunted trees or bushes

Often deserts Something that is deserved or merited, especially a punishment

The state or fact of deserving reward or punishment.

Of, relating to, characteristic of, or inhabiting a desert

Wild and uninhabited

To leave empty or alone; abandon.

To withdraw from, especially in spite of a responsibility or duty; forsake

To abandon (a military post, for example) in violation of orders or an oath.

To forsake one's duty or post, especially to be absent without leave from the armed forces with no intention of returning.

That which is deserved or merited; a just punishment or reward.

A barren area of land or desolate terrain, especially one with little water or vegetation; a wasteland.

(figuratively) Any barren place or situation.

Usually of a place: abandoned, deserted, or uninhabited.

To leave (anything that depends on one's presence to survive, exist, or succeed), especially when contrary to a promise or obligation; to abandon; to forsake.

To leave one's duty or post, especially to leave a military or naval unit without permission.

That which is deserved; the reward or the punishment justly due; claim to recompense, usually in a good sense; right to reward; merit.

A deserted or forsaken region; a barren tract incapable of supporting population, as the vast sand plains of Asia and Africa which are destitute of moisture and vegetation.

A tract, which may be capable of sustaining a population, but has been left unoccupied and uncultivated; a wilderness; a solitary place.

Of or pertaining to a desert; forsaken; without life or cultivation; unproductive; waste; barren; wild; desolate; solitary; as, they landed on a desert island.

To leave (especially something which one should stay by and support); to leave in the lurch; to abandon; to forsake; - implying blame, except sometimes when used of localities; as, to desert a friend, a principle, a cause, one's country.

To abandon (the service) without leave; to forsake in violation of duty; to abscond from; as, to desert the army; to desert one's colors.

To abandon a service without leave; to quit military service without permission, before the expiration of one's term; to abscond.

An arid region with little or no vegetation

Leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch;

Desert (a cause, a country or an army), often in order to join the opposing cause, country, or army;

Located in a dismal or remote area; desolate;