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abyssal

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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First attested in the 1690s. From Medieval Latin abyssalis,[1][2] from Latin abyssus (“abyss”) + -alis (“-al”).[3] Equivalent to abyss +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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abyssal (not comparable)

  1. (archaic) Belonging to, or resembling, an abyss; unfathomable. [First attested in the mid 17th century.][1]
  3. (geography) Of or belonging to the ocean depths, especially below 2000 metres (6500 ft): abyssal zone. [First attested in the mid 19th century.][1]
    • 1994 November 15, The Canberra Times, Australian Captial Territory, page 11, column 6:
      This "abyssal" life, typically in the form of strange tube-worms and microbes, is almost completely unknown to science.
    • 1998, John H. Roger, “Origins of the ancient constellations: I. The Mesopotamian traditions”, in Journal of the British Astronomy Association, volume 108, number 1, page 11, column 1:
      "Ea", the beneficent god of earth and life, who dwelt in the abyssal waters, was shown with two streams running from his hands or shoulders[.]
  4. (geology) Pertaining to or occurring at excessive depths in the earth's crust; plutonic. [First attested in the late 19th century.][1]
  5. (figurative) In the utter depths of despair; gloomy.
    • 1998 August 11, Tharunka, Kensington, page 35, column 1:
      In an attempt to avoid sliding into incorrigible despair, I abandon such abyssal and existential pondering and investigate the artist behind the work.

Hypernyms

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Coordinate terms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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See also

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References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief, William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “abyssal”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 11.
  2. ^ Laurence Urdang (editor), The Random House College Dictionary (Random House, 1984 [1975], →ISBN), page 7
  3. ^ Philip Babcock Gove (editor), Webster's Third International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged (G. & C. Merriam Co., 1976 [1909], →ISBN), page 9

French

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Etymology

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From Late Latin abyssālis.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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abyssal (feminine abyssale, masculine plural abyssaux, feminine plural abyssales)

  1. abyssal

Derived terms

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Further reading

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