abolition

[ ab-uh-lish-uhn ]
/ ˌæb əˈlɪʃ ən /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR abolition ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of abolishing: the abolition of war.
the state of being abolished; annulment; abrogation: the abolition of unjust laws; the abolition of unfair taxes.
the legal prohibition and ending of slavery, especially of slavery of blacks in the U.S.

Origin of abolition

1520–30; < Latin abolitiōn- (stem of abolitiō), equivalent to abolit(us) effaced, destroyed, past participle of abolēre (cf. abolish) + -iōn- -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM abolition

ab·o·li·tion·ar·y, adjective non·ab·o·li·tion, noun pro·ab·o·li·tion, adjective

Words nearby abolition

abode, abohm, aboideau, aboil, abolish, abolition, abolitionism, abolitionist, abolitionize, abolla, abomasum

Words related to abolition

revocation, eradication, dissolution, overthrow, abrogation, annulment, destruction, withdrawal, elimination, termination, repeal, nullification, cancellation, abolishment, subversion, end, invalidation, negation, ending, annihilation

Example sentences from the Web for abolition

British Dictionary definitions for abolition

abolition
/ (ˌæbəˈlɪʃən) /

noun

the act of abolishing or the state of being abolished; annulment
(often capital) (in British territories) the ending of the slave trade (1807) or the ending of slavery (1833): accomplished after a long campaign led by William Wilberforce
(often capital) (in the US) the emancipation of the slaves, accomplished by the Emancipation Proclamation issued in 1863 and ratified in 1865

Derived forms of abolition

abolitionary, adjective abolitionism, noun abolitionist, noun, adjective

Word Origin for abolition

C16: from Latin abolitio, from abolēre to destroy