abaxial
- a facing away from the axis of an organ or organism
the abaxial surface of a leaf is the underside or side facing away from the stem
abbatial
- a of or having to do with or belonging to an abbey or abbot, or abbess
abbreviated
- v reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
- v shorten
- s (of clothing) very short
an abbreviated swimsuit - s cut short in duration
the abbreviated speech
abdicable
- s capable of being discarded or renounced or relinquished
abdicable responsibilites
abdominal
- n the muscles of the abdomen
- a of or relating to or near the abdomen
abdominal muscles
abdominovesical
- a of or relating to the abdomen and the urinary bladder
abducent
- n a small motor nerve supplying the lateral rectus muscle of the eye
- a especially of muscles; drawing away from the midline of the body or from an adjacent part
abducting
- v take away to an undisclosed location against their will and usually in order to extract a ransom
- v pull away from the body
- a especially of muscles; drawing away from the midline of the body or from an adjacent part
abecedarian
- n a novice learning the rudiments of some subject
- n a 16th century sect of Anabaptists centered in Germany who had an absolute disdain for human knowledge
- s alphabetically arranged (as for beginning readers)
aberrant
- n one whose behavior departs substantially from the norm of a group
- s markedly different from an accepted norm
aberrant behavior
abiding
- v dwell
- v put up with something or somebody unpleasant
- s unceasing
an abiding belief
abject
- s of the most contemptible kind
abject cowardice - s most unfortunate or miserable
the most abject slaves joined in the revolt
abject poverty - s showing utter resignation or hopelessness
abject surrender - s showing humiliation or submissiveness
an abject apology
abkhaz
- n a member of the Circassian people who live to the east of the Black Sea
- n an autonomous province of Georgia on the Black Sea; a strong independence movement has resulted in much instability
- n Circassian people living east of the Black Sea
- a of or relating to Abkazia or its people or their language