abyss

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromἄβυσσος“bottomless”
2. Late Latin · derived fromabyssus“a bottomless gulf”
3. Middle English · inherited fromabissus
4. English todayabyss

From Middle English abissus, from Late Latin abyssus (“a bottomless gulf”), from Ancient Greek ἄβυσσος (ábussos, “bottomless”, from ἀ- (a-, “not”) + βυσσός (bussós, “deep place”)), from βυθός (buthós, “deep place”). Displaced native Old English neowolnes.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• First attested around 1350 to 1470. Hell; the bottomless pit; primeval chaos; a confined subterranean ocean.
• First attested in the late 16ᵗʰ century. A bottomless or unfathomed depth, gulf, or chasm; hence, any deep, immeasurable; any void space.
• First attested in the late 16ᵗʰ century. Anything infinite, immeasurable, or profound.