ab

1 of 6

noun (1)

: an abdominal muscle
usually used in plural

ab

2 of 6

abbreviation (1)

about
: the 11th month of the civil year or the 5th month of the ecclesiastical year in the Jewish calendar see Months of the Principal Calendars Table
: the one of the four ABO blood groups characterized by the presence of antigens designated by the letters A and B and by the absence of antibodies against these antigens

AB

5 of 6

abbreviation (2)

1
able seaman; able-bodied seaman
2
abort; abortion
3
airborne
4
airman basic
5
Alberta
6
[New Latin artium baccalaureus] bachelor of arts

ab-

6 of 6

prefix

: from : away : off
abaxial

Examples of ab in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The spat escalated into Blunt calling Gosling out for having to have his abs painted on, which struck a deeper chord than any other shots that were fired. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 10 Mar. 2024 Some might argue that Good’s abs have been a topic of conversation for years, even decades. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 8 Mar. 2024 All the can't-miss looks on your favorite stars at this week's most major events, including Taraji P. Henson's strapless, sequin dress Taraji P. Henson made L.A. dazzle in a sequin dress while Millie Bobby Brown lit up N.Y.C. in a plated gown and Ellie Goulding displayed her abs in London. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 The designer’s bold look in London follows a series of statement fashion choices she’s made over the years, from baring her abs to other bold looks. Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024 The whole Collina collection, including pastel floral latex shirts with sculpted abs and upcycled chiffon dresses with biceps and triceps quilted in, was a flex. Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 Channing Tatum is known for his abs, his dancing skills, and for being a full daughter guy (better than girl dad, right?). Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 13 Feb. 2024 After a few more jokes about the commercials and Usher’s abs, Colbert welcomed his guests for the night: John Krasinski, Ryan Gosling, and… a special appearance from new/old Daily Show host Jon Stewart, whose first show back behind the desk will be Monday, Feb. 12. Marlow Stern, Rolling Stone, 12 Feb. 2024 Try attending weekly dance classes to flex and build your core and abs. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ab.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

Hebrew Ābh

Prefix

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin ab-, abs-, a-, from ab, a — more at of

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1956, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1771, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ab was circa 1771

Dictionary Entries Near ab

Cite this Entry

“Ab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ab. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ab-

prefix
: from : away : departing from
abnormal
Etymology

Prefix

Latin ab- "from, away"

Medical Definition

ab

1 of 4 noun
: abdominal
usually used in plural
highly developed abs
ab exercises

ab

2 of 4 abbreviation
1
or AB abort; abortion
2
about

AB

3 of 4 noun
: the one of the four ABO blood groups characterized by the presence of antigens designated by the letters A and B and by the absence of antibodies against these antigens

AB

4 of 4 abbreviation
1
aid to blind
2
[Latin artium baccalaureus] bachelor of arts

More from Merriam-Webster on ab

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!