verb/de.zɛʁ.te/
to desert (a place), abandon; to desert
“Villegaignon fonde, sur une île en pleine baie, le Fort-Coligny; les Indiens le construisent, ils ravitaillent la petite colonie; mais vite dégoûtés de donner sans recevoir, ils se sauvent, désertent leurs villages.” — — Villegaignon founded Fort Coligny on an island right in the centre of the bay; Indians built it and kept the small colony provided with food; but they soon wearied of giving without receiving anything in return, and fled, abandoning their villages.
Borrowed from Late Latin dēsertāre, from Latin dēsertus.