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abortion

noun/əˈbɔrʃən/

the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion of a fetus or embryo

Many people have strong opinions about the legality of abortion and its ethical implications.

terminationmiscarriageinterruption
word origin — From Latin 'abortio', meaning 'a falling away' or 'miscarriage', from the verb 'aborir', meaning 'to miscarry or fail to be born'.

IELTS Vocabulary — Set 30

Set 30 of IELTS Vocabulary covers 5 words: abortion, boundary, viability, priority, hierarchy. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

  1. abortion · noun/əˈbɔrʃən/

    the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion of a fetus or embryo

    Many people have strong opinions about the legality of abortion and its ethical implications.

    Synonyms: termination, miscarriage, interruption

    Origin: From Latin 'abortio', meaning 'a falling away' or 'miscarriage', from the verb 'aborir', meaning 'to miscarry or fail to be born'.

  2. boundary · noun/ˈbaʊndri/

    a line that marks the limits of an area

    The property line serves as a clear boundary between the two neighbors' yards.

    Synonyms: border, limit, line

    Origin: from Middle English 'boundarie', from Old French 'bornie', from 'borne' meaning bound or limit, derived from Latin 'fīnis' meaning end, limit.

  3. viability · noun/ˌvaɪəˈbɪləti/

    the ability to live, grow, or develop successfully

    The viability of the new plant species in the local ecosystem depends on its ability to adapt to environmental changes.

    Synonyms: feasibility, practicability, survivability

    Origin: from Latin 'vita', meaning 'life', combined with the suffix '-ability'

  4. priority · noun/praɪˈɔrɪti/

    something that is regarded as more important than another

    Her family is her top priority, and she ensures to spend quality time with them every week.

    Synonyms: precedence, importance, priority task

    Origin: from Latin 'prioritas', which comes from 'prior' meaning 'earlier, former'

  5. hierarchy · noun/ˈhaɪrɑːrki/

    a system of organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority

    In many corporations, the hierarchy determines how decisions are made and who is responsible for various tasks.

    Synonyms: pecking order, ranking, structure

    Origin: from the Greek 'hierarkhēs', meaning 'leader of sacred rites'