abrasion

The story

1. Latin · derived fromabrādō“scrape off”
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromabrasio“a scraping”
3. French · borrowed fromabrasion
4. English todayabrasion

First attested in 1656. From French abrasion (attested since 1611), from Medieval Latin abrasio (“a scraping”), from Latin abrādō (“scrape off”). See also abrade.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• First attested in the mid 17ᵗʰ century. The act of abrading, wearing, or rubbing off; the wearing away by friction.
• First attested in the mid 18ᵗʰ century. The substance thus rubbed off; debris.
• First attested in the mid 19ᵗʰ century. The effect of mechanical erosion of rock, especially a river bed, by rock fragments scratching and scraping it.
• First attested in the mid 20ᵗʰ century. An abraded, scraped, or worn area.
• First attested in the mid 20ᵗʰ century. A superficial wound caused by scraping; an area of skin where the cells on the surface have been scraped or worn away.