dʒɛkt, æbˈdʒɛkt adjective
1.
utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, or wretched: abject poverty.
2.
contemptible; despicable; base-spirited: an abject coward.
3.
shamelessly servile; slavish.
4.
Obsolete. cast aside.
Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin abjectus thrown down (past participle of abicere, abjicere), equivalent to ab- ab + -jec- throw + -tus past participle suffix
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin abjectus thrown down (past participle of abicere, abjicere), equivalent to ab- ab + -jec- throw + -tus past participle suffix
Related forms
ab·ject·ly, adverb
ab·ject·ness, ab·ject·ed·ness, noun
un·ab·ject, adjective
un·ab·ject·ly, adverb
un·ab·ject·ness, noun
Synonyms
1. debasing, degrading; miserable. 2. base, mean, low, vile.
1. debasing, degrading; miserable. 2. base, mean, low, vile.
Antonyms
exalted.
exalted.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To abject
00:10
Abject
is always a great word to know.
So is absurd. Does it mean:
| to wear off or down by scraping or rubbing. |
| contrary to common sense |
Collins
World English Dictionary
abject (ˈæbdʒɛkt) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | utterly wretched or hopeless |
| 2. | miserable; forlorn; dejected |
| 3. | indicating humiliation; submissive: an abject apology |
| 4. | contemptible; despicable; servile: an abject liar |
| [C14: (in the sense: rejected, cast out): from Latin abjectus thrown or cast away, from abjicere, from ab- away + jacere to throw] | |
| ab'jection | |
| —n | |
| 'abjectly | |
| —adv | |
| 'abjectness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
abject
early 15c., "cast off, rejected," from L. abjectus, pp. of abicere "throw away, cast off," from ab- "away, off" + jacere "to throw" (pp. jactus; see jet (v.)). Fig. sense of "downcast, brought low" first attested 1510s. Related: Abjectly.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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