Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

abolition

 - 3 dictionary results

ab⋅o⋅li⋅tion

  [ab-uh-lish-uhn]
Use abolition in a Sentence
–noun
1. the act of abolishing: the abolition of war.
2. the state of being abolished; annulment; abrogation: the abolition of unjust laws; the abolition of unfair taxes.
3. the legal prohibition and ending of slavery, esp. of slavery of blacks in the U.S.
Origin:
1520–30; < L abolitiōn- (s. of abolitiō), equiv. to abolit(us) effaced, destroyed, ptp. of abolēre (cf. abolish ) + -iōn- -ion

Related forms:
ab⋅o⋅li⋅tion⋅ar⋅y, adjective

Synonyms:
1, 2. annihilation, eradication, elimination; nullification, invalidation, revocation, repeal.

Antonyms:
2. establishment.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To abolition
ab·o·li·tion   (āb'ə-lĭsh'ən)   
n.  

  1. The act of doing away with or the state of being done away with; annulment.

  2. Abolishment of slavery.


[Latin abolitiō, abolitiōn-, from abolitus, past participle of abolēre, to abolish; see abolish.]
ab'o·li'tion·ar'y (-lĭsh'ə-něr'ē) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

abolition 
1529, see abolish. Specific application to "opposition to the black slave trade as a political question" is first attested 1788. Abolitionism in this sense is from 1790; abolitionist is from 1836. In Britain, applied 20c. to advocates of ending capital punishment.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see abolition on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way