Abducted

/æbˈdʌktɪd/ verb

Definition

Past tense of 'abduct': to take someone away illegally or by force, or to move a limb away from the body's center.

Etymology

From Latin 'abducere' (ab- meaning away, ducere meaning to lead), literally 'to lead away.' The word entered English in the 16th century meaning to carry off or kidnap. The anatomical meaning (moving a limb outward) came later from the same 'leading away' concept.

Kelly Says

Abduct has a secret double meaning: doctors use it when your arm moves away from your body, and criminals use it when they kidnap someone—it's the same word because both mean 'to lead away'!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.