abortionist

A1B3O1R1T1I1O1N1I1S1T1
US/əˈbɔɹ.ʃə.nɪst/

noun

A person who performs abortions, especially illegally or secretly.

“For quotations using this term, see Citations:abortionist.”

UncommonFirst used 1844Scrabble 13

Meanings

nounabortionist (plural abortionists)

plural abortionists

  1. offensivesometimesA person who performs abortions, especially illegally or secretly.First known use 1844

    Mad. Restell, the celebrated Abortionist [is arrested].

    1844 March 26, New-York Daily Tribune
    5 more examples

    The quack abortionist, with “a little knowledge,” impudently, remorselessly, and secretly employs his craft for filthy lucre’s sake, perpetrating one crime to conceal another, at which science and charity blush.

    1848 October 7, “Morals and Murder – the Case of Eliza Wilson”, in The Medical Times, volume 18, number 471, London, page 373

    Such a fetus is perfectly viable save for the act of the abortionist.

    1998, J. David Bleich, Bioethical Dilemmas: A Jewish Perspective, volume 1, Hoboken, New Jersey: KTAV Publishing House, →ISBN, page 277

    According to Bray, “there is a difference between taking a retired abortionist and executing him, and killing a practicing abortionist who is regularly killing babies.” The first act is in Bray’s view retributive, the second defensive.

    2003, Mark Juergensmeyer, Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence, 3rd edition, Berkeley, California: University of California Press, →ISBN, page 24

    In 1962, when abortion was still illegal, I published an anonymous interview with Dr. Robert Spencer, a humane abortionist who was known as “The Saint.”

    2005, Paul Krassner, One Hand Jerking: Reports from an Investigative Satirist, →ISBN, page 24

    […] a gruesome procedure in which the abortionist dismembers a child who could survive outside the womb.

    2009, Dinesh D’Souza, Letters to a Young Conservative, →ISBN, page 191

    Synonyms: aborter, angel maker, jack-knife barber

  2. derogatoryA person who advocates for or supports the legality of abortion.

    For quotations using this term, see Citations:abortionist.

    Synonyms: pro-abortionist, pro-choicer, pro-deather · Antonyms: anti-abortionist, anti-choicer, fetus fetishist, forced-birther, pro-lifer, right-to-lifer

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA person who performs abortions, especially illegally or secretly.

nounA person who advocates for or supports the legality of abortion.

Also see

Origin

Translations

Dutch aborteur, aborteuse
  • aborteurperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • aborteuseperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • voorstander van abortusperson who advocates for or supports the legality of abortion
Esperanto abortigisto, virabortigisto
  • abortigistoperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • virabortigistoperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • abortigistinoperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • geabortigistojperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
Finnish raskauden keskeyttäjä, abortoija
  • raskauden keskeyttäjäperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • abortoijaperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
French avorteur, avorteuse
  • avorteurperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • avorteuseperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • médecin avorteurperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
German Abtreiber, Abtreiberin
  • Abtreiberperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • Abtreiberinperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • Abtreibungsarztperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • Abtreibungsärztinperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • Abtreibungshelferperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • Abtreibungshelferinperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • Abtreibungsbefürworterperson who advocates for or supports the legality of abortion
  • Abtreibungsbefürworterinperson who advocates for or supports the legality of abortion
Hungarian abortőr
  • abortőrperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
Polish aborter, aborcjonista
  • aborterperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • aborcjonistaperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • aborcjonistkaperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
Portuguese aborteiro, aborteira
  • aborteiroperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • aborteiraperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • abortistaperson who advocates for or supports the legality of abortion
Spanish abortista, abortero
  • abortistaperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • aborteroperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • aborteraperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • abortistaperson who advocates for or supports the legality of abortion
Tagalog abortista, aborsiyonista
  • abortistaperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
  • aborsiyonistaperson who performs abortions — see also angel maker
Cite this entry
APA

abortionist. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abortionist

MLA

“abortionist.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abortionist. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “abortionist,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abortionist.

Source: abortionist on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.