"A" Word Origins

abridgment

Origin

First attested in 1494. From Middle English abrygement, from Middle French abrégement. Equivalent to abridge + -ment.

abroad

Middle English

From Middle English abrood, combining a- ("on") with brood ("broad") — originally meaning simply "widely scattered."

abrogation

Origin

First attested in 1535. From Middle French abrogation, from Latin abrogātiō (“repealed”), from abrogo, from ab (“from”) + rogo (“ask, inquire”). By surface analysis, ab- + Latin rog- + -ate + -ion.

abrosexual

Greek

Formed from Greek abros 'delicate, graceful', plus sexual.

abrupt

Latin

From Latin abruptus, "broken off," the past participle of abrumpo — formed from ab ("away") plus rumpo ("to break"), the same root as "rupture" and "erupt."

abruptly

Origin

Formed from abrupt plus the adverb-forming suffix -ly.

Abs

Origin

Clipping of Abigail plus the hypocoristic suffix -s.

abscess

Latin

From Latin abscessus, "a going away" — originally describing how infected matter was thought to "withdraw" and collect in one spot, from abscedo, "to go away."

abscond

Latin

From Latin "abscondere," to hide away, from "abs-" (away) plus "condere" (to stow).

absence

Latin

From Old French absence, ultimately from Latin absentia, based on absum, "to be away" — from ab ("away from") plus sum ("to be").

absent

Latin

From Old French absent, from Latin absens, the present participle of absum, "to be away from" — built from ab ("away") and sum ("to be").

absentee

Origin

Formed from absent plus the suffix -ee, following the same pattern as "employee" or "trainee."

absey

Origin

From Middle English abce, abcy, abse, apsy, equivalent to A + B + C.

absinthe

Latin

From French absinthe, tracing to Latin absinthium and ultimately Greek apsinthion, meaning "wormwood," the plant originally used to flavour the drink.

absolute

Latin

From Latin absolutus, "unrestricted" or "complete," the past participle of absolvo, "to set free" — the same root as "absolve."

absolutely

Middle English

From late Middle English absolutly, formed from absolute plus the adverbial suffix -ly.

absolution

Latin

From Old French absolution, from Latin absolutio, "acquittal," based on absolvo, "to absolve."

absolutism

Origin

First attested in 1753 (in the theological sense); attested in 1830 in the political sense. From absolute + -ism, based after French absolutisme.

absolve

Latin

From Latin absolvere, "to set free" or "acquit," built from ab ("away from") and solvo ("to loosen, release").

absorb

Latin

From Latin absorbeo, "to swallow up," combining ab- ("from") with sorbeo ("to suck in"), from an ancient root meaning "to sip."

absorbed

Origin

The past participle of absorb, formed with the standard -ed ending.

absorbent

Latin

From Latin absorbens, the present participle of absorbeo, "to absorb."

absorbing

Origin

Formed from absorb plus the -ing suffix.

absorption

Latin

From Latin absorptio, "a sucking in," based on absorbeo, "to absorb."

abstain

Latin

From Old French abstenir, based on Latin abstineo, "to hold oneself back," from abs- ("away from") and teneo ("to hold").

abstainer

Origin

From Middle English absteyner, equivalent to abstain + -er.

abstemious

Origin

From Latin abstēmius (“abstaining from wine”); from ab, abs (“from”) + tēmus, a root of tēmētum (“intoxicating drink, especially strong mead or wine”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *temH- (“dark (referring to the colour of wine)”)) + -ous.

abstention

Origin

First attested in 1521. Borrowed from French abstention, from Late Latin abstēntiō from Latin abstinēō (“withhold, to abstain”)

abstinence

Latin

From Old French abstinence, based on Latin abstinentia, from abstineo, "to hold back" — the noun form of "abstain."

abstinent

Origin

First attested in the late 14th century as Middle English abstinent, abstynent, from Old French abstinent, from Latin abstinēns, present participle of abstineō. See abstain.

abstract

Latin

From Latin abstractus, "drawn away," the past participle of abstraho, formed from abs- ("away") plus traho ("to pull, draw").

abstraction

Medieval Latin

From Middle French abstraction or Medieval Latin abstractio, "a separation," based on Latin abstraho, "to draw away."

abstruse

Origin

PIE word *h₂epó Learned borrowing from Latin abstrūsus (“concealed, hidden; having been concealed”), an adjective use of the perfect passive participle of abstrūdō (“to conceal, hide; to push or thrust away”), from abs- (from ab- (prefix meaning ‘away; from; away from’)) + trūdō (“to push, shove; to thrust”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *trewd- (“to push; to thrust”)). Cognates * Catalan abstrús * German abstrus (“abstruse”) * Italian astruso (“abstruse”) * Middle French abstruse (modern French abstrus, abstruse (“(derogatory, literary) abstruse”) * Portuguese abstruso (“abstruse”) * Spanish abstruso (“abstruse”)

absurd

Latin

From Latin absurdus, "out of tune" or "incongruous," formed from ab- ("away from") plus surdus ("deaf, dull-sounding") — related to the word "surd."

absurdity

Late Latin

From Middle French absurdité or Late Latin absurditas, based on Latin absurdus — formed as absurd plus -ity.

absurdly

Origin

Formed from absurd plus the adverbial suffix -ly.

Abu

Arabic

From Arabic أَبُو (ʔabū).

abuela

Spanish

Borrowed directly from Spanish abuela, "grandmother."

abundance

Latin

From Old French abondance, tracing back to Latin abundantia ("overflowing"), from abundare, "to overflow."

abundant

Latin

From Latin abundans, the present participle of abundare, "to overflow with."

abundantly

Origin

From abundant plus the adverb-forming suffix -ly.

abuse

Latin

From Latin abusus, "misused," from ab- ("away") plus uti ("to use") — literally a "using away" or using something up wrongly.

abuser

Origin

Formed from abuse plus the agent suffix -er, "one who does."

abusive

Latin

From French abusif, ultimately from Latin abusivus, related to abuse.

abut

Old French

From Old French abouter, "to touch at one end," built from but, "end" or "goal" — the same root behind the English word butt.

abutting

Origin

From abut + -ing.

abuzz

Origin

From a- (prefix indicating a condition or manner) + buzz (“feeling or rush of energy or excitement; major topic of conversation; widespread rumor; information spread behind the scenes”) or buzz (“to show a high level of activity and haste; to communicate in an undertone; to spread, as a report, by whispers or secretly; to talk to incessantly or confidentially in a low humming voice”).

aby

Origin

From Middle English abyen, abien, abiggen, from Old English ābyċġan (“to buy; pay for; buy off; requite; recompense; redeem; perform; execute”), from Proto-Germanic *uzbugjaną, equivalent to a- + buy. Cognate with Gothic 𐌿𐍃𐌱𐌿𐌲𐌾𐌰𐌽 (usbugjan). Not related to abide.