abortion

== English == === Etymology === From Latin abortiōnem (“miscarriage, abortion”), from aborior (“to miscarry”). Equivalent to abort +‎ -ion. Displaced native Old English ǣwyrp (literally “throwing out, rejection”). === Pronunciation === (US) enPR: əʹbôrshən, IPA(key): /əˈbɔɹ.ʃn̩/ Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)ʃən === Noun === abortion (countable and uncountable, plural abortions) (medicine) The expulsion from the womb of a foetus or embryo before it is fully developed, with loss of the foetus.[from 16th c.] (now uncommon in general use) A spontaneous abortion; a miscarriage. An induced abortion. (now rare) An aborted foetus; an abortus. [from 16th c.] (figuratively) A misshapen person or thing; a monstrosity. [from 16th c.] (figuratively) Failure or abandonment of a project, promise, goal etc. [from 17th c.] (biology) Arrest of development of any organ, so that it remains an imperfect formation or is absorbed. [from 18th c.] The cessation of an illness or disease at a very early stage. ==== Synonyms ==== abort (obsolete), abortus (induced abortion): aborticide, feticide, foeticide, termination (of pregnancy) (act of terminating pregnancy): aborticide, embryoctony, feticide, foeticide, termination (of pregnancy) (spontaneous abortion): miscarriage, misbirth ==== Hyponyms ==== ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Further reading === abortion on Wikipedia.Wikipedia === Anagrams === boration, orbation, rainboot