Abortion

Quick meaning: Abortion is a noun meaning (medicine) The expulsion from the womb of a foetus or embryo before it is fully developed, with loss of the foetus.

Meaning

(medicine) The expulsion from the womb of a foetus or embryo before it is fully developed, with loss of the foetus.

More Meanings

1. (now rare) An aborted foetus; an abortus.
2. (figuratively) A misshapen person or thing; a monstrosity.
3. (figuratively) Failure or abandonment of a project, promise, goal etc.
4. (biology) Arrest of development of any organ, so that it remains an imperfect formation or is absorbed.
5. The cessation of an illness or disease at a very early stage.

Example Sentences

an absolute abortion of a book

His voice was the most pitiable abortion of a voice I had ever heard.

‘It seems too hairy for an abortion, and too small for a mature birth.’

Dickey on his own manages to turn a simple bo diddley 1-2-3-4 into an absolute abortion of a song.

Word Forms

• abortions

Synonyms for abortion

Depending on context, synonyms include abort, aborticide, feticide, foeticide, termination, embryoctony.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include miscarriage, termination, feticide, aborticide, antiabortion, abortionist.

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