abject

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Extremely bad and hopeless; complete and utter.

   Millions still live in abject poverty.

2. 2
   adj

   Showing shame, humiliation, or submissiveness.

   He offered an abject apology for his rude behaviour.

3. 3
   adj

   Miserable and deserving contempt; wretched.

   The prisoners were kept in abject conditions.

PIE word *h₂epó The adjective is derived from Late Middle English abiect, abject (adjective) [and other forms], from Middle French abject (modern French abject, abjet (obsolete)), and from its etymon Latin abiectus (“abandoned; cast aside”), an adjective use of the perfect passive participle of abiciō (“to discard, throw away”), from ab- (prefix meaning ‘away from’) + iaciō (“to throw”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(H)yeh₁- (“to throw”)). The noun is derived from the adjective. Cognates * Italian abiecto (obsolete), abietto * Late Latin abiectus (“humble or poor person”, noun) * Span…

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