abduction

¹

[ab-duhk-shuhn]

noun

1. act of abducting.

2. the state of being abducted.

3. Law.,  the illegal carrying or enticing away of a person, especially by interfering with a relationship, such as the taking of a child from their parent.

abduction

²

[ab-duhk-shuhn]

noun

Logic.

1. a syllogism whose major premise is certain but whose minor premise is probable.

Word History and Origins

Origin of abduction¹

First recorded in 1620–30; abduct + -ion

Origin of abduction²

First recorded in 1690–1700, abduction is from the New Latin word abductiōn- (stem of abductiō; translation of Greek apagōgḗ ). See abduct, -ion

Example Sentences

Schools in at least nine of Nigeria's 36 states are either fully or partially closed for fear of further abductions.

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Election season is regarded by some as a particularly dangerous time when parents have been warned to take special care of their children because of the heightened risk of abductions.

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Nigeria's central government says it is "deeply concerned" by the abductions.

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Over the past decade, schools in northern Nigeria have become frequent targets for armed groups, who often carry out abductions to seek ransom payments or leverage deals with the government.

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"We see detentions, we see abductions, forced displacement and torture," she said.

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Related Words

• kidnapping www.thesaurus.com
• rape 
• seizure 
• theft