Aborted

/əˈbɔːrtɪd/

verbIntermediateCommonGeneral

Definitions

1

to stop something from continuing

/əˈbɔːrt/

verbneutralIntermediate
General

stop something from continuing

The launch was aborted after a technical glitch was detected.

How It's Used

General

"The mission was aborted due to bad weather."

From Old French aborter 'to miscarry', from Latin ab- 'away from' + oriri 'to rise, come forth' (giving the literal meaning 'to come forth from a place other than the normal one'). The sense 'to bring to an end' developed in the 17th century.

Historically, the term was used in the medical context, specifically for miscarriages or stillbirths.

Memory tip

Think of an unfinished painting that an artist has aborted.

abortiedabortted

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written