To stop or cancel something before it's finished, or in medical terms, to end a pregnancy prematurely.
From Latin 'abortus,' past participle of 'aboriri,' combining 'ab-' (away from) and 'oriri' (to be born). Originally meant a birth that came too early.
The word comes from the same Latin root as 'origin'—both deal with beginnings, but 'abort' means stopping something before it begins, which is why NASA uses it for mission cancellations.
While clinically neutral, abortion discourse is heavily gendered; the word carries political/identity weight tied to women's bodily autonomy and reproductive control. Use context-aware language.
In medical contexts, use 'terminate pregnancy' or 'abortion' clinically. In technical contexts (e.g., 'abort mission'), this is ungendered. Avoid charged framing.
["terminate (technical)","end (neutral)","discontinue (formal)"]
Women's reproductive autonomy and medical decision-making have been historically erased or controlled; language should reflect women's agency.
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