Abortion

Pronunciation

• US IPA: /əˈbɔɹ.ʃnÌ©/, enPR: əʹbôrshÉ™n
• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)ʃən

Origin

From Latin abortiō ("miscarriage, abortion"), from aborior ("miscarry"). See abort for more.

Full definition of abortion

Noun

1. (medicine or dated) The cessation of pregnancy or fetal development: First attested in the mid 16^th century.
1. (medicine or dated) a miscarriage. First attested in the mid 16^th century.
2. (still current) an induced abortion. First attested in the mid 16^th century.
3. The act of inducing the cessation of pregnancy. First attested in the mid 16^th century.
2. (dated) The immature product of an untimely birth. First attested in the late 16^th century.
3. A monstrosity; a misshapen person. First attested in the late 16^th century.
4. (figuratively) Failure of a promise or a goal. First attested in the early 18^th century.
5. (biology) Arrest of development of any organ, so that it remains an imperfect formation or is absorbed. First attested in the mid 18^th century.
6. Any fruit or produce which is interrupted in its progress before it is matured or perfect; an idea, project, or anything that does not come to maturity.
7. (chiefly arts) Something ugly, an artistic atrocity.
• 1846, Charles Dickens, Pictures from Italy, Chapter 10.Insomuch that I do honestly believe, there can be no place in the world, where such intolerable abortions, begotten of the sculptor’s chisel, are to be found in such profusion, as in Rome.
8. The cessation of an illness or disease at a very early stage.
9. An unpleasant or poorly executed idea or project.
• 1999, "foo...@my-deja.com", Menace is AN ABORTION OF A MOVIE (on newsgroup alt.fan.starwars)
• 2000, "Jules", please dont buy beacon cd (on newsgroup alt.fan.allman-brothers)Dickey on his own manages to turn a simple bo diddley 1-2-3-4 into an absolute abortion of a song.
• 2003, David Kerekes, Headpress 24: Powered by Love (page 133)an absolute abortion of a book

Synonyms

• miscarriage
• misbirth

Derived terms

Anagrams

• boration