aborticide

English

Etymology

From abortion +‎ -cide (“killing”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA: /əˈbɔɹ.tɪˌsaɪd/, /əˈbɔɹ.təˌsaɪd/

Noun

aborticide (plural aborticides)

1. The act of destroying a fetus in the womb; feticide.
   • 1974, John Morris Dorsey, Psychology of ethics, page 153[1]:

     As physician I frequently find it helpful to express some of my views regarding prognosis, aborticide, euthanasia, organ transplant, and similar medical exertion of mine, including that of my well-intentioned fellow-man.

   • 1988, Sarva Daman Singh, Polyandry in Ancient India, page 78:

     "From today onwards", he legislated, "a woman's infidelity to her husband shall be a sin tantamount to aborticide, an evil that will engender misery.

   • 1989, Paul DeParrie, The Rescuers, page 42[2]:

     "Aborticide is the basis of God's judgment on America," he says, "because the blood cries out from the ground."

   • 1998, Lenn Evan Goodman, Judaism, human rights, and human values, page 88[3]:

     Thus we have a clear division between homicide, which falls within the biblical law of persons, and aborticide, which is treated as a tort.

2. An agent responsible for an abortion (the destruction of a fetus); abortifacient.

Anagrams

• bacterioid