Desertion is a noun derived from the verb desert, meaning “abandon a place or person.” It is found mainly in military contexts when military personnel leave their post without permission (e.g., “The private was charged with desertion”) but can also be used in relation to child desertion (e.g., “Billy’s parents had both been accused of child desertion”).
Desert and dessert are often confused. You can check your spelling and grammar with the QuillBot Grammar Checker.