different between abominable vs abject

English

Etymology

From Middle English abhomynable, from Old French abominable, from Late Latin ab?min?bilis (“deserving abhorrence”), from ab?minor (“abhor, deprecate as an ill omen”), from ab (“from, away from”) + ?minor (“forebode, predict, presage”), from ?men (“sign, token, omen”). Formerly erroneously folk-etymologized as deriving from Latin ab- + homo and therefore spelled abhominable, abhominal; see those entries for more.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /??b?m.?.n?.bl?/, /??b?m.n?.bl?/
• (General New Zealand) IPA^(key): /??b?m.?.n?.b?/

Adjective

abominable (comparative more abominable, superlative most abominable)

1. Worthy of, or causing, abhorrence, as a thing of evil omen; odious in the utmost degree; very hateful; detestable; loathsome; execrable. [first attested around 1150 to 1350]
2. (obsolete) Excessive, large (used as an intensifier).
3. Very bad or inferior.
4. Disagreeable or unpleasant. [First attested in the late 19^th century.]

Usage notes

• Nouns to which "abominable" is often applied: man, woman, crime, act, deed, sin, vice, character, place, mystery, treatment, church, bride, snowman.

Alternative forms

• abhominable (obsolete, based on folk etymology), abhominal (obsolete, based on folk etymology)

Derived terms

Related terms

Descendants

• ? Norwegian Bokmål: abominabel

Translations

References

• abominable in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• abominable in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• abominable at OneLook Dictionary Search

Catalan

Etymology

From Late Latin ab?min?bilis.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /?.bo.mi?na.bl?/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /?.bu.mi?na.bl?/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /a.bo.mi?na.ble/
• Rhymes: -a?le

Adjective

abominable (masculine and feminine plural abominables)

1. abominable

Derived terms

• abominablement

Related terms

• abominar
• abominació

French

Etymology

From Late Latin ab?min?bilis (“abominable, detestable”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.b?.mi.nabl/
• Homophone: abominables

Adjective

abominable (plural abominables)

1. Absolutely loathsome; abominable.
2. Exceedingly bad or ugly; abominable.

Synonyms

• Most terms of the second category also have literal meanings closer to that of the first, but are now less common in these uses, as well as marking actions that are not as markedly odious.
• (loathsome): odieux, méprisable, ignoble, sacrilège (religious), impie (religious)
• (exceedingly bad or ugly): laid, détestable, exécrable, horrible

Derived terms

• abominable homme des neiges
• abominablement

Further reading

• “abominable” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Galician

Alternative forms

• abominábel

Etymology

From Late Latin ab?min?bilis.

Adjective

abominable m or f (plural abominables)

1. abominable

Related terms

• abominación
• abominar

Further reading

• “abominable” in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega, Royal Galician Academy.

Middle English

Adjective

abominable

1. Alternative form of abhomynable

Norwegian Bokmål

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ab?m??n??bl?/
• Rhymes: -??bl?
• Hyphenation: a?bo?mi?na?ble

Adjective

abominable

1. definite singular of abominabel
2. plural of abominabel

Spanish

Etymology

From Late Latin ab?min?bilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /abomi?nable/, [a.??o.mi?na.??le]

Adjective

abominable (plural abominables)

1. abominable

Derived terms

Related terms

• abominar
• abominado

Further reading

• “abominable” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?æb.d???kt/, enPR: ?b?j?kt
• (attributive): (US) IPA^(key): /?æb.d???kt/, enPR: ?b?j?kt
• (postpositive): (US) IPA^(key): /æb?d???kt/, enPR: ?bj?kt?
• Rhymes: -?kt

Etymology 1

From Middle English abiect (“outcast, wretched”), from Latin abiectus, past participle of abici? (“to throw away, cast off, to reject”), from ab- (“away”) +? iaci? (“to throw”).

Adjective

abject (comparative abjecter or more abject, superlative abjectest or most abject)

1. Sunk to or existing in a low condition, state, or position. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]
2. Cast down in spirit or hope; degraded; servile; grovelling; despicable; lacking courage; offered in a humble and often ingratiating spirit. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]
3. Showing utter hopelessness, helplessness; showing resignation; wretched. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]
4. (obsolete) Rejected; cast aside. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the early 17^th century.]

Usage notes

• Nouns to which "abject" is often applied: poverty, fear, terror, submission, misery, failure, state, condition, apology, humility, servitude, manner, coward.

Synonyms

• beggarly, contemptible, cringing, degraded, groveling, ignoble, mean, mean-spirited, slavish, vile, worthless

Related terms

Translations

Noun

abject (plural abjects)

1. A person in the lowest and most despicable condition; a castaway; outcast. [from late 15h c.]

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English abjecten, derived from the adjective form.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /æb?d??kt/

Verb

abject (third-person singular simple present abjects, present participle abjecting, simple past and past participle abjected)

1. (transitive, obsolete) To cast off or out; to reject. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 17^th century.]
2. (transitive, obsolete) To cast down; hence, to abase; to degrade; to lower; to debase. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 17^th century.]
   • a. 1631, John Donne, a sermon

     What phrases of abjecting themselves, in respect of the prince, can exceed David's humble expressing of himself to Saul?

Related terms

Translations

References

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French abject, from Latin abiectus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?b?j?kt/
• Hyphenation: ab?ject
• Rhymes: -?kt

Adjective

abject (comparative abjecter, superlative abjectst)

1. reprehensible, despicable, abject

Inflection

Derived terms

• abjectheid

French

Etymology

From Latin abiectus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ab.??kt/

Adjective

abject (feminine singular abjecte, masculine plural abjects, feminine plural abjectes)

1. (literary) Worthy of utmost contempt or disgust; vile; despicable.
2. (literary, obsolete) Of the lowest social position.

Usage notes

• Abject lacks the idea of groveling, of moral degradation over time that is present in the English word.

Derived terms

• abjectement

Related terms

• abjection

Descendants

• Norwegian Bokmål: abjekt
• ? Romanian: abject

Further reading

• “abject” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Romanian

Etymology

From French abject, from Latin abiectus.

Adjective

abject m or n (feminine singular abject?, masculine plural abjec?i, feminine and neuter plural abjecte)

1. abject

Declension