English edit

Etymology edit

First attested in 1552. From Middle French abdication, from Latin abdicātiō (renunciation), from abdicō.[1]

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

abdication (countable and uncountable, plural abdications)

  1. (obsolete) The act of disowning or disinheriting a child. [Attested from the mid 16th century until the mid 17th century.][2]
  2. The act of abdicating; the renunciation of a high office, dignity, or trust, by its holder. [First attested in the early 17th century.][2]
  3. The voluntary renunciation of sovereign power. [First attested in the late 17th century.][2]
    abdication of the throne, government, power, authority
    the king's abdication
  4. (obsolete, law) The renunciation of interest in a property or a legal claim; abandonment. [Attested only in the mid 18th century.][2]
  5. (obsolete) The action of being deposed from the seat of power. [Attested only in the mid 17th century.][2]

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

References edit

  1. ^ Elliott K. Dobbie, C. William Dunmore, Robert K. Barnhart, et al. (editors), Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2004 [1998], →ISBN), page 2
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief; William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “abdication”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 3.

Further reading edit

French edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Latin abdicātiōnem.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

abdication f (plural abdications)

  1. abdication

Related terms edit

Descendants edit

  • Bulgarian: абдика́ция (abdikácija)

Further reading edit

Interlingua edit

Noun edit

abdication (plural abdicationes)

  1. abdication