abominable

The story

1. Late Latin · derived fromabōminābilis“deserving abhorrence”
2. Old French · derived fromabominable
3. Middle English · inherited fromabhomynable
4. English todayabominable

From Middle English abhomynable, from Old French abominable, from Late Latin abōminābilis (“deserving abhorrence”), from abōminor (“abhor, deprecate as an ill omen”), from ab (“from, away from”) + ōminor (“forebode, predict, presage”), from ōmen (“sign, token, omen”). Formerly erroneously folk-etymologized as deriving from Latin ab- + homo, literally "away from humankind," and therefore spelled abhominable, abhominal (Hence, Shakespeare puns on this when Hamlet speaks of incompetent actors that "imitate humanity abominably.")

First known use, by meaning

• first attested around 1150 to 1350 Worthy of, or causing, abhorrence, as a thing of evil omen; odious in the utmost degree; very hateful; detestable; loathsome; execrable.
• First attested in the late 19ᵗʰ century. Disagreeable or unpleasant.