different between abyssal vs abysmal

English

Etymology

First attested in the 1690s. From Medieval Latin abyssalis, from Latin abyssus (“abyss”) + -alis (“-al”). Equivalent to abyss +? -al.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??b?s.l?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??b?s.l?/
• Rhymes: -?s?l

Adjective

abyssal (not comparable)

1. (archaic) Belonging to, or resembling, an abyss; unfathomable. [First attested in the mid 17^th century.]
2. (geography) Of or belonging to the ocean depths, especially below 2000 metres (6500 ft): abyssal zone. [First attested in the mid 19^th century.]
3. (geology) Pertaining to or occurring at excessive depths in the earth's crust; plutonic. [First attested in the late 19^th century.]

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• byssal

References

• abyssal in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

French

Etymology

From Late Latin abyssalis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.bi.sal/

Adjective

abyssal (feminine singular abyssale, masculine plural abyssaux, feminine plural abyssales)

1. abyssal

Derived terms

• gigantisme abyssal
• plaine abyssale

Further reading

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

English

Etymology

abysm +? -al

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??b?z.m?l/
• Rhymes: -?zm?l

Adjective

abysmal (comparative more abysmal, superlative most abysmal)

1. (now rare) Pertaining to, or resembling an abyss. [First attested in the mid 17^th century.]

   Synonyms: unending, profound, fathomless, immeasurable

   • 1851, Thomas Carlyle, The Life of John Sterling

     The latter [geology] gives one the same sort of bewildering view of the abysmal extent of Time that Astronomy does of Space. [First attested in the early 19^th century.]}}

2. (figuratively) extremely bad; terrible.

Usage notes

• Nouns to which "abysmal" is often applied: ignorance, record, performance, poverty, conditions, quality, perplexity, result, service, and failure.

Translations

References

Further reading

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

Anagrams

• balsamy

Portuguese

Adjective

abysmal (plural abysmaes, comparable)

1. Obsolete spelling of abismal