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Abel

American  
[ey-buhl, ah-buhl] / ˈeɪ bəl, ˈɑ bəl /

noun

  1. (in the Bible) the second son of Adam and Eve, slain by his brother, Cain.

  2. Sir Frederick Augustus, 1827–1902, English chemist: inventor of cordite.

  3. I. W., 1908–87, U.S. labor leader: president of the United Steelworkers of America 1965–77.

  4. Niels Henrik 1802–29, Norwegian mathematician.

  5. a first name.

Abel British  
/ ˈeɪbəl /

noun

  1. Old Testament the second son of Adam and Eve, a shepherd, murdered by his brother Cain (Genesis 4:1–8)

"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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Almost immediately, Pulido’s direct messages on all social-media platforms were flooded with requests, according to his campaign manager, Abel Prado.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

Buffett was succeeded by Abel as CEO at the end of 2025.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

Abel issued a statement after Kraft Heinz announced the split’s pause in February, saying he supported the move.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Berkshire pared back its presence on the company’s board: Abel retired in 2024, and the two remaining Berkshire officials stepped off last year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

The thumbtack was a signal to his new boss, Rudolf Abel: he’d arrived safely and was ready to work.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.