Etymology

abolitionism

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Today it means: Support for the abolition of something; the tenets of abolitionists. Full definition →

First used First attested in the early 19th century.English abolition ← Middle French abolition ← Old French abolucion
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ep
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂epó
  3. Proto-Italic*ap
  4. Latinab
  5. Latinab-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*h₃elh₁-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*h₃olh₁-éye-ti
  8. Proto-Italic*oleō
  9. Latinaboleō
  10. Latinabolitiōnem
  11. Old Frenchabolucion
  12. Middle Frenchabolition
  13. Englishabolition
  14. English todayabolitionism

From abolition + -ism.

First known use, by meaning

  • First attested in the early 19th century. Support for the abolition of something; the tenets of abolitionists.
  • First attested in the early 19th century. Support for the abolition of prisons.
  • First attested in the early 19th century. Support for the abolition (banning) of sex work.
  • First attested in the early 19th century. Support for the abolition (banning) of abortion.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.