abject

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈæbˌd͡ʒɛkt/ UK /ˈæbd͡ʒɛkt/ See IPA manual

Freq #28733

Meanings

1

adj
Extremely bad and hopeless; complete and utter.

Millions still live in abject poverty.
2

adj
Showing shame, humiliation, or submissiveness.

He offered an abject apology for his rude behaviour.
3

adj
Miserable and deserving contempt; wretched.

The prisoners were kept in abject conditions.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · extremely bad and hopeless;... absolute complete downright utter

2 adj · showing shame, humiliation,... cringing servile slavish

3 adj · miserable and deserving... degraded ignoble mean vile wretched

Word family

Forms abjectedabjectingabjectlyabjects

Derived forms abjectedabjectednessabjectificationabjectifyabjectlyabjectnessnonabjectunabject

Related forms abjectionabjective

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

abject apology
an expression of regret that shows deep shame or submission

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Abject entered English in the late Middle English period and ultimately comes from Latin jacere, “to throw.” It literally means “thrown away.”

Etymology

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…

*(H)yeh₁- Proto-Indo-European abiect Middle English abject Middle French abiectus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# abject

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈæbˌd͡ʒɛkt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈæbd͡ʒɛkt/
**Frequency rank:** 28733

## Meanings
1. Extremely bad and hopeless; complete and utter.
2. Showing shame, humiliation, or submissiveness.
3. Miserable and deserving contempt; wretched.

## Examples
- Millions still live in abject poverty.
- He offered an abject apology for his rude behaviour.
- The prisoners were kept in abject conditions.

## Derived Forms
- abjected
- abjectedness
- abjectification
- abjectify
- abjectly
- abjectness
- nonabject
- unabject

## Related Forms
- abjection
- abjective

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *(H)yeh₁-
- Root: abiect
- Root: abject
- Root: abiectus

## Etymology
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…

## AI Etymology
For abject, 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. The deeper Proto-Indo-European form is *h₂epó. In present-day use, it can mean extremely bad and hopeless; complete and utter, or showing shame, humiliation, or submissiveness. Derived formations include abjected, abjectedness, abjectification, abjectify, and abjectly.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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