English

edit

Etymology

edit

From abysm +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

edit
  • IPA(key): /əˈbɪz.məl/, [əˈbɪz.ml̩]
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪzməl

Adjective

edit

abysmal (comparative more abysmal, superlative most abysmal)

  1. (now rare) Pertaining to, or resembling an abyss. [First attested in the mid 17th century.][1]
    Synonyms: unending, profound, fathomless, immeasurable
  2. (figurative) extremely bad; terrible.
    • 2012 June 9, Owen Phillips, “Euro 2012: Netherlands 0-1 Denmark”, in BBC Sport[1]:
      Robben curled an effort against the foot of the post from the edge of the box after being gifted the ball by an abysmal clearance from keeper Stephan Andersen.

Derived terms

edit

Collocations

edit

Translations

edit
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

References

edit
  1. 1.0 1.1 Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief, William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “abysmal”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 11.

Further reading

edit

Anagrams

edit

Portuguese

edit

Adjective

edit

abysmal m or f (plural abysmaes)

  1. Pre-reform spelling (until Brazil 1943/Portugal 1911) of abismal.