Word a Day
abeyance
What does abeyance mean?
abeyance (noun): suspension; temporary suppression; dormant condition.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you use abeyance in a sentence?
How do you pronounce abeyance?
/əˈbeɪəns/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does abeyance come from?
From Anglo-Norman abeiance (“legal expectation”), from Old French abeance (“desire”) from abeër (“to gape at, aspire after”), abaer, abair (“to desire”), from a (“to”) + baër (“to gape”), bair (“yawn”), from Medieval Latin batō (“to yawn”).
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Test yourself: do you know “abeyance”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “abeyance” mean?
composure; freedom from embarrassment or affectation
Not quite: that's what poise means.
an ideal instance; a perfect embodiment of a concept
Not quite: that's what paragon means.
suspension; temporary suppression; dormant condition
Right! That's what “abeyance” means.
a blemish, spot or stain made by a colored substance
Not quite: that's what blot means.
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