1. Referring to something which ends suddenly; jerky and disconnected; unexpected, surprising: The car came to an abrupt stop at the railroad crossing.

The open-air concert came to an abrupt end when the rain storm started.

There was an abrupt change in the weather from sunshine to a thunder storm.

2. Pertaining to something that is surprisingly curt; brusque, such as a quick answer made in anger: Leonard's abrupt reply hurt the couple's feelings.

In an effort to avoid appearing abrupt in her mannerisms, the teacher smiled in a friendly fashion.

Mike's abrupt response was obviously made in anger and it hurt Jean's feelings.

3. Regarding short comments made by skipping from one subject to another with sudden transitions: The speaker made abrupt references to several different topics during the few minutes he spoke.
4. Steeply inclined; having a sharp inclination; precipitous: The cliff made an abrupt descent to the sea.
5. In botany, terminating suddenly rather than gradually; truncate: a leaf with a shortened stalk: The stem of the leaf became abrupt and narrowed close to the main branch of the tree.
6. Etymology: made up of ab-, "off" + rumpere, "to break", "to break off".

The past participle abruptus resulted in the English word abrupt, "broken off". In Modern English this meaning has been applied figuratively to the manner of a person who speaks or acts suddenly and curtly, or to things that change suddenly; "breaking off" unexpectedly.

"Rupture" is an English word that still retains the literal meaning of "breaking", as do disrupt and interrupt, all derived from the same Latin "rump ere".

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