Synonyms for abortion


Grammar : Noun
Spell : uh-bawr-shuh n
Phonetic Transcription : əˈbɔr ʃən


Définition of abortion

Origin :
  • 1540s, from Latin abortionem (nominative abortio) "miscarriage, abortion," noun of action from past participle stem of aboriri (see abortive).
  • Earlier noun in English was simple abort (early 15c.). Originally of both deliberate and unintended miscarriages; in 19c. some effort was made to distinguish abortion "expulsion of the fetus between 6 weeks and 6 months" from miscarriage (the same within 6 weeks of conception) and premature labor (delivery after 6 months but before due time). This broke down as abortion came to be used principally for intentional miscarriages. Foeticide (v.) appears 1823 as a forensic medical term for deliberate premature fatal expulsion of the fetus; also cf. prolicide. Abortion was a taboo word for much of early 20c., disguised in print as criminal operation (U.S.) or illegal operation (U.K.), and replaced by miscarriage in film versions of novels.
  • noun expulsion of fetus
  • noun failure
Example sentences :
  • And he had arrived at what he called the hypothesis of the abortion of cells.
  • Extract from : « Doctor Pascal » by Emile Zola
  • Some trees are without fruit through the abortion of the pistils.
  • Extract from : « Trees of the Northern United States » by Austin C. Apgar
  • Cows that are degenerating into consumption are exceedingly subject to abortion.
  • Extract from : « Cattle and Their Diseases » by Robert Jennings
  • Abortion, also, often follows a sudden change from poor to luxuriant food.
  • Extract from : « Cattle and Their Diseases » by Robert Jennings
  • In this case the neglect is over-production; the evil is abortion.
  • Extract from : « The Physical Life of Woman: » by Dr. George H Napheys
  • Abortion is practiced throughout Hungary by women of all the nationalities.
  • Extract from : « Folkways » by William Graham Sumner
  • Abortion produced on her by another was a crime, but not when she produced it on herself.
  • Extract from : « Folkways » by William Graham Sumner
  • Abortion and infanticide are two customs which have the same character and purpose.
  • Extract from : « Folkways » by William Graham Sumner
  • In the neighboring tribe of the Orang Laut no means of abortion was known.
  • Extract from : « Folkways » by William Graham Sumner
  • Abortion of the ovules is considered by the same authority to be due to—1.
  • Extract from : « Vegetable Teratology » by Maxwell T. Masters

Antonyms for abortion

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019