different between abominable vs ghastly

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

Etymology

From a conflation of a derivation of Old English g?stan (“to torment, frighten”) with the suffix -lic, and ghostly (which was also spelt "gastlich" in Middle English). Equivalent to ghast/gast + -ly. Spelling with 'gh' developed 16th century due to the conflation.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /????s(t).li/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??æs(t).li/

Adjective

ghastly (comparative ghastlier, superlative ghastliest)

1. Like a ghost in appearance; death-like; pale; pallid; dismal.
   • 1798, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

     Each turned his face with a ghastly pang.
2. Horrifyingly shocking.
3. Extremely bad.

Synonyms

• (sickly pale): See also Thesaurus:pallid
• (horrifyingly shocking): lurid

Translations

Adverb

ghastly (not comparable)

1. In a ghastly manner.
   • 1921, William Dudley Pelley, The Fog: A Novel, page 196:

     Johnathan's lips moved ghastly before his voice would come. "So I'm crazy, am I? And if I choose to murder you, what would you do?"