Ab

a major blood group usually enabling a person whose blood is of this type to donate blood to persons of type AB and to receive blood from persons of type O, A, B, or AB.

Compare ABO system.

Definition for ab (5 of 9)

abs

[ abz ]

/ æbz /

plural noun Informal.

abdominal muscles.

Origin of abs

An Americanism dating back to 1980–85; by shortening

Definition for ab (6 of 9)

ab.

about.

Baseball. (times) at bat.

Definition for ab (7 of 9)

ab-

a formal element occurring in loanwords from Latin, where it meant “away from”: abdicate; abolition.

Also a-, abs-.

Origin of ab-

< Latin ab (preposition and prefix) from, away, cognate with Greek apó, Sanskrit ápa, German ab, English of¹, off

Definition for ab (8 of 9)

A.B.¹

Bachelor of Arts.

Origin of A.B.

< New Latin, Medieval Latin Artium Baccalaureus

Definition for ab (9 of 9)

A.B.²

Nautical. able seaman.

Baseball. (times) at bat.Also a.b.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for ab

“Ab Welsh, who was a forward with the Saskatoon Quakers was the first one,” Howe said.
Gordie Howe Hockey’s Greatest War Horse|W.C. Heinz|May 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On 27 July 2013, AB Neubauer reported that she was sexually assaulted the previous evening.
Spies, Lies, and Rape in the Air Force: An Undercover Agent's Story|Jacob Siegel|March 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
An AB is a muscle found on magazine covers, an AD in the mag says Virginia's For Lovers.
National Scrabble Day: A Poem So You’ll Know All 101 Two-Letter Words|David Bukszpan|April 13, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The ABT has a saying on the inside, “If you ever disrespect the AB, we will make sure you leave in a body bag.”
The Aryan Brotherhood of Texas: ‘Brutal, Deadly, and Effective’|Seth Ferranti|April 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST

AB 32, the law Whitman wants to suspend, is nearly as popular as free cerveza.
The GOP's Big Green Gamble|Joe Mathews|December 8, 2009|DAILY BEAST
The two had regained their normal condition and Ab's face lengthened and the lines upon it became more distinct.
The Story of Ab|Stanley Waterloo
Why had he, this Ab, been allowed to go away with all the tiger's skin?
The Story of Ab|Stanley Waterloo
Hune veluti suavissimum florem, maturumque fructum, ab ipso initio protulit, noua et foelix illa Academia tua.
The Works of John Knox, Vol. 1 (of 6)|John Knox
The hind wings are usually smoky brown, with a paler central band, but in some specimens, referable to ab.
The Moths of the British Isles, Second Series|Richard South
It is said of him, that he was, inventum focis, because he was ab origine from the land of fire; by which is meant Ur of Chaldea.
A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology. Volume II. (of VI.)|Jacob Bryant

British Dictionary definitions for ab (1 of 6)

/ (æb) /

noun

a variant of Av

British Dictionary definitions for ab (2 of 6)

abbreviation for

Also: a.b. able-bodied seaman

(in the US) Bachelor of Arts

(esp in postal addresses) Alberta (Canada)

symbol for

a human blood type of the ABO group, containing both the A antigen and the B antigen

British Dictionary definitions for ab (3 of 6)

ab-¹

prefix

away from; off; outside of; opposite toabnormal; abaxial; aboral

Word Origin for ab-

from Latin ab away from

British Dictionary definitions for ab (4 of 6)

ab-²

prefix

denoting a cgs unit of measurement in the electromagnetic systemabvolt

Word Origin for ab-

abstracted from absolute

British Dictionary definitions for ab (5 of 6)

abs

/ (æbz) /

pl n

informal abdominal muscles

British Dictionary definitions for ab (6 of 6)

ABS

abbreviation for

acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene: any of a range of tough copolymers used esp for making moulded articles

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for ab

abbr.

antibody

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Definition for ab (2 of 9)

Symbol.

Definition for ab (3 of 9)

Definition for ab (4 of 9)

Symbol, Physiology.

Definition for ab (5 of 9)

plural noun Informal.

Origin of abs

Definition for ab (6 of 9)

Definition for ab (7 of 9)

Origin of ab-

Definition for ab (8 of 9)

Origin of A.B.

Definition for ab (9 of 9)

Example sentences from the Web for ab

British Dictionary definitions for ab (1 of 6)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for ab (2 of 6)

abbreviation for

symbol for

British Dictionary definitions for ab (3 of 6)

prefix

Word Origin for ab-

British Dictionary definitions for ab (4 of 6)

prefix

Word Origin for ab-

British Dictionary definitions for ab (5 of 6)

pl n

British Dictionary definitions for ab (6 of 6)

abbreviation for

Medical definitions for ab

abbr.