ABORTION
abortion
(noun) termination of pregnancy
miscarriage, abortion
(noun) failure of a plan
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
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; either naturally as a spontaneous abortion (now usually called a miscarriage), or deliberately as an induced abortion. [from 16th c.]
(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
• (induced abortion): aborticide, feticide, foeticide, termination (of pregnancy)
• (act of terminating pregnancy): aborticide, embryoctony, feticide, foeticide, termination (of pregnancy)
• (spontaneous abortion): miscarriage, misbirth
Anagrams
• boration, orbation, rainboot
Source: Wiktionary
A*bor"tion, n. Etym: [L. abortio, fr. aboriri. See Abort.]
1. The act of giving premature birth; particularly, the expulsion of
the human fetus prematurely, or before it is capable of sustaining
life; miscarriage.
Note: It is sometimes used for the offense of procuring a premature
delivery, but strictly the early delivery is the abortion, "causing
or procuring abortion" is the full name of the offense. Abbott.
2. The immature product of an untimely birth.
3. (Biol.)
Definition: Arrest of development of any organ, so that it remains an
imperfect formation or is absorbed.
4. Any fruit or produce that does not come to maturity, or anything
which in its progress, before it is matured or perfect; a complete
failure; as, his attempt. proved an abortiori.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition