abysmal

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[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From Old French abisme, from Vulgar Latin *abyssimus, the superlative of abyssus (an abyss, a bottomless gulf), from Ancient Greek ἄβυσσος (abyssos, without bottom), from ἀ- (a-, not)+ βυσσός (bysso, depth).

[edit] Adjective

abysmal (comparative more abysmal, superlative most abysmal)

  1. Pertaining to, or resembling an abyss; bottomless; unending; profound; fathomless; immeasurable.
    • Carlyle
      Geology gives one the same abysmal extent of time that astronomy does of space.
  2. Extremely bad.

[edit] Usage notes

  • Nouns to which "abysmal" is often applied: ignorance, record, performance, poverty, conditions, quality, perplexity, result.

[edit] Quotations

[edit] Translations

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.

[edit] External links

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