1630s, "laying waste, ravaging," present-participle adjective from devastate. Trivial or hyperbolic use is by 1889.
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devastate v.
1630s, "lay waste, ravage, make desolate," perhaps a back-formation from devastation. Apparently not common until 19c.; earlier verb form devast is attested from 1530s, from French devaster, from Latin devastare. Figurative use is by 1856. Related: devastated; devastating.