abortion

[uh-bawr-shuh n]

See more synonyms for abortion on Thesaurus.com

noun

Also called voluntary abortion. the removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy.
any of various surgical methods for terminating a pregnancy, especially during the first six months.
Also called spontaneous abortion. miscarriage(def 1).

an immature and nonviable fetus.
abortus(def 2).
any malformed or monstrous person, thing, etc.
Biology. the arrested development of an embryo or an organ at a more or less early stage.
the stopping of an illness, infection, etc., at a very early stage.
Informal.
1. shambles; mess.
2. anything that fails to develop, progress, or mature, as a design or project.

Origin of abortion

First recorded in 1540–50, abortion is from the Latin word abortiōn- (stem of abortiō). See abort, -ion

Related formspost·a·bor·tion, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for abortion

miscarriage, termination, aborticide, feticide, disappointment, fiasco, disaster, misadventure

Examples from the Web for abortion

Contemporary Examples of abortion

Most often, the doctrine is invoked by minors seeking an abortion without parental consent.
Should Teens Have The Right To Die?
Brandy Zadrozny
January 8, 2015
In other words, unnecessarily stringent abortion regulation could be far more dangerous than abortion itself.
Abortion Complications Are Rare, No Matter What the Right Says
Samantha Allen
December 8, 2014
The National Right to Life Committee, for example, asks the leading question “Is Abortion Safe?”
Abortion Complications Are Rare, No Matter What the Right Says
Samantha Allen
December 8, 2014
One in three women has had an abortion in the United States—but their stories often remain private.
Women Share Their Secret Abortion Stories For 1 in 3 Campaign
Brandy Zadrozny
November 20, 2014
Jenny Kutner, a 23-year-old writer for Salon, talked about her abortion after an IUD failure.
Women Share Their Secret Abortion Stories For 1 in 3 Campaign
Brandy Zadrozny
November 20, 2014

Historical Examples of abortion

And he had arrived at what he called the hypothesis of the abortion of cells.
Doctor Pascal
Emile Zola
Some trees are without fruit through the abortion of the pistils.
Trees of the Northern United States
Austin C. Apgar
Cows that are degenerating into consumption are exceedingly subject to abortion.
Cattle and Their Diseases
Robert Jennings
Abortion, also, often follows a sudden change from poor to luxuriant food.
Cattle and Their Diseases
Robert Jennings
In this case the neglect is over-production; the evil is abortion.
The Physical Life of Woman:
Dr. George H Napheys

British Dictionary definitions for abortion

abortion

noun

an operation or other procedure to terminate pregnancy before the fetus is viable
the premature termination of pregnancy by spontaneous or induced expulsion of a nonviable fetus from the uterus
the products of abortion; an aborted fetus
the arrest of development of an organ
a failure to develop to completion or maturitythe project proved an abortion
a person or thing that is deformed

Derived Formsabortional, adjective

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

Word Origin and History for abortion

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.

abortion in Medicine

abortion

[ə-bôr′shən]

Induced termination of a pregnancy with destruction of the fetus or embryo; therapeutic abortion.
Any of various procedures that result in such a termination of pregnancy.
Spontaneous abortion.
Cessation of a normal or abnormal process before completion.

abortion in Science

abortion

[ə-bôr′shən]

Induced termination of pregnancy, involving destruction of the embryo or fetus.
Any of various procedures that result in such termination.
Spontaneous abortion; miscarriage.
Cessation of a normal or abnormal process before completion.

abortion in Culture

abortion

The deliberate termination of a pregnancy, usually before the embryo or fetus is capable of independent life. In medical contexts, this procedure is called an induced abortion and is distinguished from a spontaneous abortion (miscarriage) or stillbirth.

Note

Abortion laws are extremely controversial. Those who describe themselves as “pro-choice” believe that the decision to have an abortion should be left to the mother. In contrast, the “pro-life” faction, arguing that abortion is killing, holds that the state should prohibit abortion in most cases. Feminists (see feminism) (see also feminism) and liberals generally support the pro-choice side; Roman Catholics and Protestant fundamentalists generally back the pro-life side. (See Roe versus Wade.)

abortion

The ending of pregnancy and expulsion of the embryo or fetus, generally before the embryo or fetus is capable of surviving on its own. Abortion may be brought on intentionally by artificial means (induced abortion) or may occur naturally (spontaneous abortion, which is commonly referred to as a miscarriage). (Compare stillbirth; see also family planning and population control.)