desired & desirable

[panicmonger]

What is the difference between "desirable" and "desired"?
Thank you very much indeed.

 

[Tdol]

Something or someone can be desirable (attractive, etc) without being desired; if nobody knows about that thing or person, then the won't desire it/them.

 

[panicmonger]

Something or someone can be desirable (attractive, etc) without being desired; if nobody knows about that thing or person, then they won't desire it/them.

After reading your reply, I'm still not sure about their true difference.

Could you run through my understanding?

desired: you know about that thing or person and you desire it. it is a must.

desirable: it is better to have a desirable thing, but it is not a must.

Am I right about their difference?
Thank you,

 

[birdeen's call]

desired: you know about that thing or person and you desire it. it is a must.

desirable: it is better to have a desirable thing, but it is not a must.

No. Something is desired when someone desires it. It's desireable if it's worthy of desire. Note that being worthy of desire doesn't necessarily imply being desired and (surely) being desired doesn't imply being worthy of desire.

 

[panicmonger]

No. Something is desired when someone desires it. It's desireable if it's worthy of desire. Note that being worthy of desire doesn't necessarily imply being desired and (surely) being desired doesn't imply being worthy of desire.

After reading your reply, I think I have a more insightful understanding.

desired: you desire a thing now, so it is desired.

desirable: a thing is worthy of desire, but you do not necessarily desire it now.