abortifacient

American

[uh-bawr-tuh-fey-shuhnt] / əˌbɔr təˈfeɪ ʃənt /

adjective

causing abortion.

noun

a drug or device used to cause abortion.

a biochemical abortifacient in pill form.

abortifacient British

/ əˌbɔːtɪˈfeɪʃənt /

adjective

causing abortion

"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

noun

a drug or agent that causes abortion

"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

Etymology

Origin of abortifacient

First recorded in 1870–75; abort + -i- + -facient ( def. )

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.

Abortifacient and birth-control pills, once cheap and widely available, are being peddled on the black market.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 14, 2022

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