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C2+ Topic:Ethics & Social Judgment

US /əˈbeɪs/ UK /əˈbeɪs/ See IPA manual

verb

Meanings

1

verb
to lower in rank, dignity, or esteem; to humble

He would not abase himself by begging for mercy.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to lower in rank, dignity,... humble humiliate demean degrade debase lower mortify belittle

Opposites

exalt elevate honor dignify promote ennoble

Word family

Derived forms abasementabaser

Related forms base debase

Etymology

From Middle English abassen, from Old French abaissier ('to lower, bring down'), from Vulgar Latin *abbassiāre, from Latin ad- ('to') + bassus ('low'). The modern spelling was influenced by 'base'.

abaissier Old French bassus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Ethics & Social Judgment

# abase

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** əˈbeɪs
**IPA (UK):** əˈbeɪs

## Meanings
1. to lower in rank, dignity, or esteem; to humble

## Examples
- He would not abase himself by begging for mercy.

## Synonyms
- humble
- humiliate
- demean
- degrade
- debase
- lower
- mortify
- belittle

## Antonyms
- exalt
- elevate
- honor
- dignify
- promote
- ennoble

## Derived Forms
- abasement
- abaser

## Related Forms
- base
- debase

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: abaissier
- Root: bassus

## Etymology
From Middle English abassen, from Old French abaissier ('to lower, bring down'), from Vulgar Latin *abbassiāre, from Latin ad- ('to') + bassus ('low'). The modern spelling was influenced by 'base'.

## AI Etymology
Abase is from Middle English abassen, from Old French abaissier ('to lower, bring down'), from Vulgar Latin *abbassiāre, from Latin ad- ('to') + bassus ('low'). The modern spelling was influenced by 'base'. In present-day use, it means to lower in rank, dignity, or esteem; to humble. Derived formations include abasement and abaser. Related vocabulary includes base and debase.

## Topics
- Ethics & Social Judgment

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