abortion

C1 Topic:Work & Careers

US /əˈbɔɹ.ʃn̩/ See IPA manual

Freq #6259

Meanings

1

noun
The deliberate ending of a pregnancy before the baby can survive on its own.

The new law placed strict limits on when an abortion could be performed.
2

noun
A natural loss of a pregnancy before the baby is developed; a miscarriage.

After two early abortions, the couple finally welcomed a healthy child.
3

noun
The failure or collapse of a plan, project, or goal.

The mission was an abortion from the very start, doomed by poor planning.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · a natural loss of a... miscarriage

3 noun · the failure or collapse of... miscarriage

More abortaborticideabortusembryoctonyfeticidefoeticidetermination

Word family

Forms abortions

Derived forms abortifacientabortion-rightsabortionalabortioneeabortionismabortionistanti-abortionanti-abortionismanti-abortionistantiabortionantiabortionismantiabortionist

Etymology

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

*h₃er- Proto-Indo-European abortiō Latin

View etymology graph ->

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Work & Careers Word Formation & Derivatives

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# abortion

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /əˈbɔɹ.ʃn̩/
**Frequency rank:** 6259

## Meanings
1. The deliberate ending of a pregnancy before the baby can survive on its own.
2. A natural loss of a pregnancy before the baby is developed; a miscarriage.
3. The failure or collapse of a plan, project, or goal.

## Examples
- The new law placed strict limits on when an abortion could be performed.
- After two early abortions, the couple finally welcomed a healthy child.
- The mission was an abortion from the very start, doomed by poor planning.

## Synonyms
- abort
- aborticide
- abortus
- embryoctony
- feticide
- foeticide
- termination

## Derived Forms
- abortifacient
- abortion-rights
- abortional
- abortionee
- abortionism
- abortionist
- anti-abortion
- anti-abortionism
- anti-abortionist
- antiabortion
- antiabortionism
- antiabortionist

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₃er-
- Root: abortiō

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

## AI Etymology
Abortion is from Latin abortiōnem (“miscarriage, abortion”), from aborior (“to miscarry”). Equivalent to abort + -ion. Displaced native Old English ǣwyrp (literally “throwing out, rejection”). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include *h₃er- (Proto-Indo-European) and abortiō (Latin). Current senses include the deliberate ending of a pregnancy before the baby can survive on its own, a natural loss of a pregnancy before the baby is developed; a miscarriage, and the failure or collapse of a plan, project, or goal. The wider family includes derived forms such as abortifacient, abortion-rights, abortional, abortionee, and abortionism.

## Topics
- Work & Careers
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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abortion

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