a-, ab-, abs-

1. Describing or relating to where the earliest known inhabitants lived: "The aboriginary location of the native people has been established."
2. A reference to where indigenous or original fauna or flora existed or may continue to survive in a geographical area: "The animals in these aboriginary areas no longer exist."

"The local zoo had an aboriginary section in which the native plants of the region were growing."

1. Natives; any of the first or earliest known inhabitants of a region: "The aborigines of the region lived in the desert."
2. A member of the indigenous or earliest known population of a region; a native: "The New Zesland aborigines still hunt with spears."
3. The native flora (plants) and fauna (animals) of a geographic area: "Many of the aborigine plants of the region have medicinal properties."
4. Etymology: ab-, "from" + origine, "beginning, original" coming from the Aborigines, an Italian tribe from Latium whom the Latins were said to be descended; hence, original inhabitants of a country.

1. To give birth before the fetus is viable; to have a miscarriage; or a reference to something that fails to be completed: "It was very sad that the baby was aborted when the mother fell down the stairs."

"The family will be aborting their trip to the arctic because of the early onslaught of winter."

2. To cut short because of some failure in equipment: "The pilot aborted the flight because of radio failure."

"Failure of the radar system will abort the flight of the spaceship until another day."

3. Etymology: originally, "to set" or "to disappear" (as the sun). Composed of ab-, "from" and oriri- "to arise"; the part of the sky, or the world, in which the sun rises; the East.

A reference to the killing of a fetus: "The aborticidal operation was performed because the mother could not survive the pregnancy any more."

"The veterinarian agreed with the farmer, an aborticidal operation on the sow would be the only way to save her life."

1. The killing of a fetus during an abortion or the act of destroying a fetus in the womb; feticide: "The parents were distressed because of the natural, spontaneous aborticide that had happened."

2. A drug or other chemical agent that causes the destruction of a fetus: "New research has resulted in the production of aborticides that the doctors can safely use."

A drug or a device that causes an abortion or kills the fetus before birth: "The new abortifacient which the doctor used was recommended by the specialist."

"Several experimental abortifacients are being tested by the research laboratory."

1. Expulsion of a fetus from the womb before it is viable; however, medical personnel will also use this term for a miscarriage, which is involuntary: "Vivian had to go to the hospital because of an unexpected spontaneous abortion of her fetus.".
2. Induced termination of pregnancy before the fetus is capable of independent survival: "The doctor had to induce an abortion because the health and safety of the mother was at risk."
3. Anything that fails to develop, progress, or mature; such as, a design, project, or a badly developed plan, etc.: "The abortion of the plans to build the new civic center was regretted by just about everyone in the community."

"The attempt to redesign the airplane was an abortion or failure."

4. To miscarry, to disappear: "The inclement weather helped Norman to determine that the abortion of their hiking plans was the only safe thing to do."
5. Etymology: ab-, "from, away from" + oriri, "to come into being, to rise, to be born".

Referring to or pertaining to an abortion which is the cessation (discontinuation) of a pregnancy or a fetal development; miscarrying: "The doctor was correct to use abortional terminology when discussing the Heidi's condition."

"The veterinarian ordered some new abortional medication to be used in her clinic."

The support or advocacy for termination of a pregnancy: "Tonya's sister, who is a doctor, supports abortionism once the client has had a medical examination and counseling."

1. Anyone who believes and promotes the ending of a pregnancy: "The speaker was a well known abortionist."
2. Someone who makes a business of inducing illegal abortions: "The backstreet abortionist was arrested by the police."
3. People who support, or advocate ending pregnancies when a woman wants it to be done: "The noisy crowd in front of the clinic included many well known abortionists."
4. Anyone who takes the action of stopping a project, a mission, etc, before it is completed: "The engineer for the city was an abortionist who advocated discontinuing the building of the expensive bridge because of the excessive costs."

The right of a woman to have a medical operation at any time during pregnancy in which a developing baby is removed so it is not born alive: "The rallying cry of the pro-choice group at the parade was for the right of women to have abortions-on-demand."

1. A reference to being incompletely developed: "Constance made an abortive effort to get her acting career back on track."
2. An intervention to end a pregnancy by removing an embryo or fetus from the womb: "The surgery which the veterinarian performed was an abortive effort and did not save the unborn calf."
3. Cutting short the course of a disease: "The normal course of the illness was not felt because of the abortive intervention by the medical specialists."
4. Failing to accomplish an objective, futile; imperfectly developed: "Marlene and Vincent made an abortive attempt to complete the project."

In an untimely manner; immaturely; fruitlessly: "Bessie was abortively chasing the taxi down the street after she realized that she left a package in the back seat."

"The life of the horse was abortively cut short by an untimely accident."

1. That which has failed to accomplish an intended result: "The abortiveness of solving the financial crisis has resulted in a worse economic situation."
2. Something which is partially or imperfectly developed: "There was an abortiveness about the jokes that were being told at the Stand-Up Comedy club."

"When Vincent, the chief officer retired, he acknowledged the single abortiveness of his career was the result of his being unable to prevent the foreclosures on mortgages."

A clinic (clinics) or a hospital (hospitals) where premature stoppages of natural or pathological processes are performed: "The veterinarian college established an abortorium for the students to use for their studies."

"There were several abortoria in the rural area of the province."