English Explanatory Dictionary

abortion

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The expulsion from the womb of a foetus or embryo before it is fully developed, with loss of the foetus.
  2. A spontaneous abortion; a miscarriage.
  3. An induced abortion.
  4. An aborted foetus; an abortus.
  5. A misshapen person or thing; a monstrosity.
  6. Failure or abandonment of a project, promise, goal etc.
  7. Arrest of development of any organ, so that it remains an imperfect formation or is absorbed.
  8. The cessation of an illness or disease at a very early stage.

Pronunciation

əʹbôrshən /əˈbɔɹ.ʃn̩/ en-us-abortion.ogg

Word forms

abortion abortions

Etymology

From Latin abortiōnem (“miscarriage, abortion”), from aborior (“to miscarry”). Equivalent to abort + -ion. Displaced native Old English ǣwyrp (literally “throwing out, rejection”).

Synonyms

abort abortus aborticide embryoctony feticide foeticide termination miscarriage misbirth

Derived words

abortifacient abortional abortion ban abortion clinic abortion doctor abortionee abortionism abortionist abortion mill abortion pill abortion rights abortion-rights abortion tour abortion tourism abortion tourist abortion vaccine anti-abortion antiabortion anti-abortionism antiabortionism anti-abortionist antiabortionist boybortion miniabortion missed abortion post-abortion postabortion pre-abortion preabortion pro-abortion proabortion teleabortion

Translations

Finnish: surkastuma Finnish: keskeytys Finnish: keskeyttäminen French: avorton Romanian: embrion Romanian: germen Romanian: abandon Catalan: avort Catalan: avortament Dutch: voortijdige beëindiging Norwegian Bokmål: abort Portuguese: aborto Portuguese: abandono Spanish: aborto
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