abortion — ODE

abortion /əˈbɔːʃn

▸ noun

1 [mass noun] the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy:

concerns such as abortion and euthanasia

[count noun] illegal abortions.

▪ Medicine the expulsion of a fetus from the uterus by natural causes before it is able to survive independently.

▪ Biology the arrest of the development of a seed, fruit, or other organ.

2 an object or undertaking that is unpleasant or badly made or carried out.

– ORIGIN mid 16th century: from Latin abortio(n-), from aboriri ‘miscarry’ (see abort).