abduction

Meanings

1. Leading away; a carrying away.
2. The act of abducing or abducting; a drawing apart; the movement which separates a limb or other part from the axis, or middle line, of the body.
3. A syllogism or form of argument in which the major premise is evident, but the minor is only probable.
4. The wrongful, and usually forcible, carrying off of a human being.
5. Alien abduction.

Etymology

From Latin abductiō(n) (“robbing; abduction”), from abdūcō (“take or lead away”), from ab (“away”) + dūcō (“to lead”). By surface analysis, abduct + -ion or abduce + -tion. * (physiology): From French, from Latin abductus. * Compare French abduction.