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abysm

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noun \ ə-ˈbi-zəm \

Definition of abysm

:abyss
  • the dark backward and abysm of time
  • —William Shakespeare

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Examples of abysm in a Sentence

  1. a recurrent dream in which he would fall helplessly into a dark and silent abysm

Origin and Etymology of abysm

borrowed (with later spelling-pronunciation of s) from Anglo-French & Middle French abysme (compare Middle English abyme from Anglo-French abime, abisme), going back to Old French abysme, going back to Vulgar Latin *abismus, alteration of Late Latin abyssus abyss, perhaps via abíss(i)mus, alteration by haplology of abyssíssimus, a superlative derivative from abyssus

abysm Synonyms

Synonyms
abyss, chasm, deep, gulf, ocean
Related Words
cleft, crevasse, crevice, fissure; cavern, hole, hollow, pit; breadth, expanse, extent, reach, spread, stretch; black hole, emptiness, nothingness, vacancy, vacuity, vacuum, void

Learn More about abysm

  1. See words that rhyme with abysm Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for abysm Nglish: Translation of abysm for Spanish speakers

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Examples: abysm in a Sentence