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Noun: abortion  u'bor-shun
  1. A deliberate termination of pregnancy
    "The woman chose to have an induced abortion for personal reasons";
    - induced abortion, termination
     
  2. (medicine) the cessation of pregnancy or foetal development; a miscarriage
    "The doctor explained that spontaneous abortion is common in the first trimester"; "She sought medical attention after signs of a possible abortion"
     
  3. Failure of a plan
    "The project's abortion was due to lack of funding";
    - miscarriage
     
  4. (biology) an early stop to the development of an organ, so that it is not fully formed or is absorbed
    "The plant exhibited leaf abortion due to stress"
     
  5. Something ugly or badly made; a useless failure
    "The project turned out to be an abortion of design"

Derived forms: abortions

Type of: conclusion, ending, failure, termination

Encyclopedia: Abortion, induced