First attested around 1350. From Middle English abominacioun, from Middle French abomination (“horror, disgust”), from Late Latin abōminātiō (“abomination”); ab (“away from”) + ōminārī (“prophesy, foreboding”), from ōmin (“omen”).
abomination (plural abominations)
- An abominable act; a disgusting vice; a despicable habit. [First attested around 1150 to 1350.]
- The feeling of extreme disgust and hatred; abhorrence; detestation; loathing. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.]
- (obsolete) A state that excites detestation or abhorrence; pollution. [Attested from around (1350 - 1470) to the late 15th century.]
- That which is abominable, shamefully vile; an object that excites disgust and hatred; very often with religious undertones. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.]
- Antony, most large in his abominations. Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra, III-vi
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
- ^ Elliott K. Dobbie, C. William Dunmore, Robert K. Barnhart, et al. (editors), Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2004 , ISBN 0550142304), page 4
- Lesley Brown (editor), The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition (Oxford University Press, 2003 , ISBN 978-0-19-860575-7), page 6