abîme

== French == === Alternative forms === abime (post-1990 spelling) abyme (archaic) abisme, abysme, abŷme (obsolete) === Etymology === Inherited from Old French abisme, from a Late Latin *abīsmus (or similar; compare Spanish, Portuguese abismo), a formally unclear alteration of Latin abyssus (“bottomless pit”), from Ancient Greek ἄβυσσος (ábussos). Doublet of abysse. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /a.bim/ === Noun === abîme m (plural abîmes) (traditional spelling) abyss, chasm bottom of a chasm or valley (literary) infiniteness of thought (literary) superlative used with various abstraction and qualities; the climax or acme (literary) hell (heraldry) abyss of a shield, fess point ==== Usage notes ==== Often used as if it were a plurale tantum. ==== Derived terms ==== === Further reading === “abîme”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 === Anagrams === amibe, iambe, ïambe