An Abortion

1. (medicine) The expulsion from the womb of a foetus or embryo before it is fully developed, with loss of the foetus; either naturally as a spontaneous abortion (now usually called a miscarriage), or deliberately as an induced abortion. [from 16th c.]
2. (now rare) An aborted foetus; an abortus. [from 16th c.]
3. (figuratively) A misshapen person or thing; a monstrosity. [from 16th c.]
4. (figuratively) Failure or abandonment of a project, promise, goal etc. [from 17th c.]
5. (biology) Arrest of development of any organ, so that it remains an imperfect formation or is absorbed. [from 18th c.]
6. The cessation of an illness or disease at a very early stage.

Synonyms

• (induced abortion): aborticide, feticide, foeticide, termination (of pregnancy)
• (act of terminating pregnancy): aborticide, embryoctony, feticide, foeticide, termination (of pregnancy)

• miscarriage
• misbirth