abortion definition | Dictionary.com

a⋅bor⋅tion

[uh-bawr-shuh

–noun

1.	Also called voluntary abortion. the removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy.

2.	any of various surgical methods for terminating a pregnancy, esp. during the first six months.

3.	Also called spontaneous abortion. miscarriage (def. 3).

4.	an immature and nonviable fetus.

5.	abortus (def. 2b).

6.	any malformed or monstrous person, thing, etc.

7.	Biology. the arrested development of an embryo or an organ at a more or less early stage.

8.	the stopping of an illness, infection, etc., at a very early stage.

Informal.

a.	shambles; mess.

b.	anything that fails to develop, progress, or mature, as a design or project.

Origin:
1540–50; < L abortiōn- (s. of abortiō). See abort, -ion

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To abortion

a·bor·tion (ə-bôr'shən)

1. Induced termination of a pregnancy with destruction of the embryo or fetus.
2. Any of various procedures resulting in the termination of a pregnancy. Also called induced abortion.
See miscarriage.
Cessation of normal growth, especially of an organ or other body part, prior to full development or maturation.
The premature ending or abandonment of an undertaking.
Something that is regarded as poorly made or done.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Abortion

A*bor"tion\ ([.a]*b[^o]r"sh[u^]n), n. [L. abortio, fr. aboriri. See Abort.]

1. The act of giving premature birth; particularly, the expulsion of the human fetus prematurely, or before it is capable of sustaining life; miscarriage.

Note: It is sometimes used for the offense of procuring a premature delivery, but strictly the early delivery is the abortion, "causing or procuring abortion" is the full name of the offense. --Abbott.

2. The immature product of an untimely birth.

3. (Biol.) Arrest of development of any organ, so that it remains an imperfect formation or is absorbed.

4. Any fruit or produce that does not come to maturity, or anything which in its progress, before it is matured or perfect; a complete failure; as, his attempt proved an abortion.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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abortion

The deliberate termination of a pregnancy, usually before the embryo or fetus is capable of independent life. In medical contexts, this procedure is called an induced abortion and is distinguished from a spontaneous abortion (miscarriage) or stillbirth.

Note: Abortion laws are extremely controversial. Those who describe themselves as “pro-choice” believe that the decision to have an abortion should be left to the mother. In contrast, the “pro-life” faction, arguing that abortion is killing, holds that the state should prohibit abortion in most cases. Feminists (see feminism) and liberals generally support the pro-choice side; Roman Catholics and Protestant fundamentalists generally back the pro-life side. (See Roe versus Wade.)

abortion

The ending of pregnancy and expulsion of the embryo or fetus, generally before the embryo or fetus is capable of surviving on its own. Abortion may be brought on intentionally by artificial means (induced abortion) or may occur naturally (spontaneous abortion, which is commonly referred to as a miscarriage). (Compare stillbirth; see also family planning and population control.)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Main Entry: abor·tion
Pronunciation: &-'bor-sh&n
Function: noun
1 : the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus; especially : the medical procedure of inducing expulsion of a human fetus to terminate a pregnancy
2 : the crime of procuring or performing an illegal abortion abortion —W. Railroad LaFave and A. W. Scott, Junior> —see also Roe v. Wade and Webster v. Reproductive Health Services in the IMPORTANT CASES section

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Main Entry: abor·tion
Pronunciation: &-'bor-sh&n
Function: noun
1 : the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resultingin, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus: a : spontaneous expulsion of a human fetus during the first 12 weeks of gestation —compare MISCARRIAGE b : induced expulsion of a human fetus c : expulsion of a fetus of a domesticanimal often due to infection at any time before completion of pregnancy —see CONTAGIOUS ABORTION, TRICHOMONIASIS b, VIBRIONIC ABORTION
2 : arrest of development of an organ so that it remains imperfect or is absorbed
3 : the arrest of a disease in its earliest stage <abortion of acold>

abortion a·bor·tion (ə-bôr'shən)
n.

The expulsion of an embryo or fetus before it is viable.
A miscarriage.
An aborted organism.
Cessation of normal growth, especially of an organ or other body part, before full development or maturation.
The arrest of an action or process before its completion.

abortion (ə-bôr'shən) Pronunciation Key

Induced termination of pregnancy, involving destruction of the embryo or fetus.
Any of various procedures that result in such termination.
Spontaneous abortion; miscarriage.
Cessation of a normal or abnormal process before completion.

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