The act of abacinating, of blinding with the light from hot metal
abaction
abaction
noun
(archaic) Stealing cattle on a large scale.
(law) Carrying away by force, especially of animals.
abalation
abalienation
abalienation
noun
(law) The act of abalienating; alienation; estrangement; transferring a legal title.
abannition
abannition
noun
Alternative spelling of abannation
abaptiston
abaptiston
noun
(medicine) A trepan having a conical shape so that injurious penetration of the brain is impossible.
abarthrosis
abarthrosis
noun
A form of articulation that allows considerable change in position and spatial relationship between the articulated parts, and which bones move freely upon one another; diarthrosis.
abarticulation
abarticulation
noun
(anatomy) A term sometimes used for diarthrosis, and also for synarthrosis. Also called dearticulation.
(anatomy) An articulation, especially one that permits free motion in the joint; a hinge joint.
The act of dislocating a joint.
abattoir
abattoir
noun
A place or event likened to a slaughterhouse, because of great carnage or bloodshed.
A public slaughterhouse for cattle, sheep, etc.
abattoirs
abattoirs
noun
plural of abattoir
abbotcies
abbotcies
noun
plural of abbotcy
abbotnullius
abbotric
abbotric
noun
(obsolete) An abbacy.
abbotship
abbotship
noun
The state, term, or office of an abbot; abbacy.
abbotships
abbotships
noun
plural of abbotship
abbreviation
abbreviation
noun
(biology) Loss during evolution of the final stages of the ancestral ontogenetic pattern.
(linguistics) A shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase, used to represent the whole, utilizing omission of letters, and sometimes substitution of letters, or duplication of initial letters to signify plurality, including signs such as +, =, @.
(mathematics) Reduction to lower terms, as a fraction.
(music) A notation used in music score to denote a direction, as pp or mf.
(music) One or more dashes through the stem of a note, dividing it respectively into quavers, semiquavers, demisemiquavers, or hemidemisemiquavers.
Any convenient short form used as a substitution for an understood or inferred whole.
The process of abbreviating.
The result of shortening or reducing; abridgment.
abbreviations
abbreviations
noun
plural of abbreviation
abbreviator
abbreviator
noun
(Roman Catholicism, historical) One of a college of seventy-two officers of the papal court whose duty was to make a short minute of a decision on a petition, or reply of the pope to a letter, and afterwards expand the minute into official form.
A person who abbreviates or shortens.
abbreviators
abbreviators
noun
plural of abbreviator
abbreviatory
abbreviatory
adj
Serving or tending to abbreviate; shortening; abridging.
abdication
abdication
noun
(obsolete) The act of disowning or disinheriting a child.
(obsolete) The action of being deposed from the seat of power.
(obsolete, law) The renunciation of interest in a property or a legal claim; abandonment.
The act of abdicating; the renunciation of a high office, dignity, or trust, by its holder.
The voluntary renunciation of sovereign power.
abdications
abdications
noun
plural of abdication
abdicator
abdicator
noun
(obsolete) A person supporting the abdication of another.
abditory
abditory
noun
(rare) A concealed location used for storage or to hide items.
abdominoanterior
abdominocentesis
abdominocentesis
noun
(surgery) Extraction of peritoneal fluid from the abdomen for evaluation, using a trocar
abdominocystic
abdominocystic
adj
(anatomy) Relating to the abdomen and to the bladder.
abdominogenital
abdominogenital
adj
(anatomy) Relating to the abdomen and to the genitals.
abdominohysterectomy
abdominohysterectomy
noun
(surgery) Removal of the uterus via an incision made in the abdominal wall rather than via the vagina.
abdominohysterotomy
abdominohysterotomy
noun
(surgery) An incision of the uterus, done through a surgical hole in the abdomen.
abdominoposterior
abdominothoracic
abdominothoracic
adj
Relating to the abdomen and the thorax, or chest.
abduction
abduction
noun
(anatomy) The act of abducing or abducting; a drawing apart; the movement which separates a limb or other part from the axis, or middle line, of the body.
(law) The wrongful, and usually forcible, carrying off of a human being.
(logic) A syllogism or form of argument in which the major premise is evident, but the minor is only probable.
Leading away; a carrying away.
abductions
abductions
noun
plural of abduction
aberration
aberration
noun
(astronomy) A small periodical change of the apparent positions of the stars and other heavenly bodies, due to the combined effect of the motion of light and the motion of the observer.
(astronomy, by extension) The tendency of light rays to preferentially strike the leading face of a moving object (the effect underlying the above phenomenon).
(electronics) A defect in an image produced by an optical or electrostatic lens system.
(medicine) A deviation of a tissue, organ or mental functions from what is considered to be within the normal range.
(optics) The convergence to different foci, by a lens or mirror, of rays of light emanating from one and the same point, or the deviation of such rays from a single focus; a defect in a focusing mechanism that prevents the intended focal point.
(zoology, botany) A typical development or structure; deviation from the normal type; an aberrant organ.
A mental disorder, especially one of a minor or temporary character.
A partial alienation of reason.
The act of wandering; deviation from truth, moral rectitude; abnormal; divergence from the straight, correct, proper, normal, or from the natural state.
aberrational
aberrational
adj
Characterized by aberration.
aberrations
aberrations
noun
plural of aberration
abevacuation
abevacuation
noun
(medicine) An abnormal evacuation.
(medicine) Metastases.
abietineous
abietineous
adj
(botany) Of or relating to the Abietineae.
abington
abington
Proper noun
A small town in Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia.
A town in southeastern Massachusetts, south of Boston.
abiogenesist
abiogenesist
noun
A proponent of abiogenesis.
abiogenetic
abiogenetic
adj
(biology) Of or pertaining to abiogenesis, originated by abiogenesis.
abiogenetical
abiogenetical
adj
Alternative form of abiogenetic
abiogenetically
abiogenetically
adv
(biology) In an abiogenetic manner; to have created life without life.
abiogenist
abiogenist
noun
(biology) One who believes that life can be produced independently of antecedent life.
abiogenists
abiogenists
noun
plural of abiogenist
abiotic
abiotic
adj
Nonliving, inanimate, characterised by the absence of life; of inorganic matter.
Tending to inhibit or destroy life; antibiotic; incompatible with life.
noun
Any such material
abiotical
abiotically
abiotically
adv
In an abiotic manner; in the absence of life.
abiotrophic
abiotrophic
adj
(medicine) Relating to or involving abiotrophy; relating to or involving the functional loss of an organ or cells not due to an injury.
abiotrophy
abiotrophy
noun
(medicine) Premature degeneration of cells or tissues, especially with genetic causes; loss of function of organ or cell, not due to injury.
abirritation
abirritation
noun
(medicine) A pathological condition opposite to that of irritation; debility; asthenia; atony.
(medicine) Decreased response to stimuli.
abiston
abjection
abjection
noun
(biology, mycology) The act of dispersing or casting off spores.
(obsolete) The act of bringing down or humbling; casting down.
A low or downcast condition; meanness of spirit; abasement; degradation.
abjections
abjections
noun
plural of abjection
abjoint
abjoint
verb
(intransitive, botany, mycology) To separate from the hypha of a fungus by the formation of a septum.
(transitive, botany, mycology) To form by cutting off as a protrusion from a parent cell.
abjudication
abjudication
noun
(law, rare) Rejection by judicial sentence.
abjudicator
abjunction
abjunction
noun
(logic) Synonym of material nonimplication
(mycology, biology) The creation of spores by cutting off portions of the sporophore by the growth of septa; abstriction.
abjuration
abjuration
noun
A repudiation on oath of a religious or political principle.
A solemn recantation or renunciation on oath; as, an abjuration of heresy.
The act of abjuring.
abjurations
abjurations
noun
plural of abjuration
ablactation
ablactation
noun
(obsolete, horticulture) Inarching.
The weaning of a child from the breast, or of young animals from their dam.
ablation
ablation
noun
(geology) The removal of a glacier by melting and evaporation; the lowering of a land surface by any of several means, as in wind erosion or mass wasting.
(meteorology) The depletion of surface snow and ice from a spacecraft or meteorite through melting and evaporation caused by friction with the atmosphere.
(obsolete) A carrying or taking away; removal.
(surgery) The surgical removal of a body part, an organ, or especially a tumor; the removal of an organ function; amputation.
ablations
ablations
noun
plural of ablation
ablatitious
ablatitious
adj
(obsolete) Diminishing
ablegation
ablegation
noun
(obsolete) Expulsion; banishment.
ablution
ablution
noun
(Eastern Orthodoxy) The ritual consumption by the deacon or priest of leftover sacred wine of host after the Communion.
(Western Christianity) The rinsing of the priest's hand and the sacred vessel following the Communion with, depending on rite, water or a mix of it and wine, which may then be drunk by the priest.
(chemistry) Originally, the purifying of oils and other substances by emulsification with hot water; now more generally, a thorough cleansing of a precipitate or other non-dissolved substance.
(literary or humorous, usually in the plural) Washing oneself; bathing, cleaning oneself up.
(plural only, UK, military) The location or building where the showers and basins are located.
The act of washing or cleansing the body, or some part of it, as a religious rite.
The liquid used in the cleansing or ablution.
ablutionary
ablutionary
adj
Pertaining to ablution.
ablutions
ablutions
noun
A building that houses bathing and toilet facilities on a military base.
plural of ablution
abmodalities
abmodality
abnegation
abnegation
noun
A denial; a renunciation; denial of desire or self-interest.
abnegations
abnegations
noun
plural of abnegation
abnormalist
abnormalist
noun
(Christianity, theology) One who believes that the cosmos is in an abnormal state that can only be set right by divine influence.
abnormalities
abnormalities
noun
plural of abnormality
abnormality
abnormality
noun
Something abnormal; an aberration; an abnormal occurrence or feature.
The state or quality of being abnormal; variation; irregularity.
abnormities
abnormities
noun
plural of abnormity
abnormity
abnormity
noun
(rare) Alternative form of abnormality
A monstrosity
aboiteau
aboiteau
noun
(Canada, Acadian) Alternative form of aboideau
aboiteaus
aboiteaus
noun
plural of aboiteau
aboiteaux
abolishment
abolishment
noun
The act of abolishing; abolition; destruction.
abolishments
abolishments
noun
plural of abolishment
abolition
abolition
noun
(historical, often capitalised, Australia) The ending of convict transportation.
(historical, often capitalised, UK, US) The ending of the slave trade or of slavery.
(obsolete) An amnesty; a putting out of memory.
The act of abolishing; an annulling; abrogation.
The state of being abolished.
abolitionary
abolitionary
adj
Relating to or favoring abolition.
abolitionise
abolitionise
verb
Non-Oxford British English standard spelling of abolitionize.
abolitionised
abolitionised
verb
simple past tense and past participle of abolitionise
abolitionising
abolitionising
verb
present participle of abolitionise
abolitionism
abolitionism
noun
(abortion) Support for the abolition (banning) of abortion.
(historical, US) Support for the abolition of slavery.
Support for the abolition (banning) of sex work.
Support for the abolition of prisons.
Support for the abolition of something; the tenets of abolitionists.
abolitionist
abolitionist
adj
(historical) In favor of the abolition of slavery.
noun
(historical, US) A person who favored or advocated the abolition of slavery.
A person who favors the abolition of any particular institution or practice.
abolitionists
abolitionists
noun
plural of abolitionist
abolitionize
abolitionize
verb
(transitive, rare, obsolete) To imbue with the principles of abolitionism.
abolitionized
abolitionized
verb
simple past tense and past participle of abolitionize
abolitionizing
abolitionizing
verb
present participle of abolitionize
abolitions
abolitions
noun
plural of abolition
abominability
abominate
abominate
adj
(rare) Abominable; detested.
verb
(transitive) To feel disgust towards; to loathe or detest thoroughly; to hate in the highest degree, as if with religious dread.
(transitive, colloquial) To dislike strongly.
abominated
abominated
verb
simple past tense and past participle of abominate
abominates
abominates
verb
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of abominate
abominating
abominating
verb
present participle of abominate
abomination
abomination
noun
(countable) An abominable act; a disgusting vice; a despicable habit.
(countable) That which is abominable, shamefully vile; an object that excites disgust and hatred (often with religious undertones).
(obsolete, uncountable) A state that excites detestation or abhorrence; pollution.
(uncountable) The feeling of extreme disgust and hatred
abominations
abominations
noun
plural of abomination
abominator
abominator
noun
One who abominates.
abominators
abominators
noun
plural of abominator
aboriginality
aboriginality
noun
The distinctive culture of aboriginal peoples
The quality of being aboriginal.
The spiritual bonds between the aboriginal people and their place of heritage.
aborticide
aborticide
noun
An agent responsible for an abortion (the destruction of a fetus); abortifacient.
The act of destroying a fetus in the womb; feticide.
abortient
abortient
adj
(archaic, medicine) Reproductively sterile or miscarrying.
noun
(archaic, medicine) Abortifacient; an agent producing abortion.
abortifacient
abortifacient
adj
(pharmacology) Producing miscarriage.
noun
(pharmacology) A drug or an agent that induces an abortion.
abortin
abortin
noun
An extract manufactured from the bacterium Brucella abortus, and is used to study contagious abortions in cattle.
aborting
aborting
verb
present participle of abort
abortion
abortion
noun
(biology) Arrest of development of any organ, so that it remains an imperfect formation or is absorbed.
(figuratively) A misshapen person or thing; a monstrosity.
(figuratively) Failure or abandonment of a project, promise, goal etc.
(medicine) The expulsion from the womb of a foetus or embryo before it is fully developed, with loss of the foetus; either naturally as a spontaneous abortion (now usually called a miscarriage), or deliberately as an induced abortion.
(now rare) An aborted foetus; an abortus.
The cessation of an illness or disease at a very early stage.
abortional
abortional
adj
(rare) Pertaining to abortion; miscarrying; abortive.
abortionist
abortionist
noun
(chiefly derogatory) A person who advocates for or supports the legality of abortion.
(now sometimes offensive) A person who performs abortions, especially illegally or secretly.
abortionists
abortionists
noun
plural of abortionist
abortions
abortions
noun
plural of abortion
abortive
abortive
adj
(biology) Imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile.
(medicine) Cutting short; acting to halt or slow the progress (of a disease).
(obsolete) Produced by abortion; born prematurely and therefore unnatural.