abyssal

abyssal

English

Etymology

First attested in the 1690s. From Medieval Latin abyssalis,[1][2] from Latin abyssus (“abyss”) + -alis (“-al”).[3] Equivalent to abyss +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əˈbɪs.l̩/
• (US) IPA^(key): /əˈbɪs.l̩/
• Rhymes: -ɪsəl

Adjective

abyssal (not comparable)

1. (archaic) Belonging to, or resembling, an abyss; unfathomable. [First attested in the mid 17^th century.][1]
2. (geography) Of or belonging to the ocean depths, especially below 2000 metres (6500 ft): abyssal zone. [First attested in the mid 19^th century.][1]
3. (geology) Pertaining to or occurring at excessive depths in the earth's crust; plutonic. [First attested in the late 19^th century.][1]

Derived terms

• abyssalbenthic
• abyssal fish
• abyssally
• abyssalpelagic
• abyssal plain
• abyssal rock
• abyssal zone
• hypabyssal
• hyperabyssal
• hypoabyssal

 

Translations

belonging to, or resembling, an abyss; unfathomable

Greek: αβυσσαλέος (el) m (avyssaléos), απειροβαθής m (apeirovathís), απύθμενος (el) m (apýthmenos)

belonging to the ocean depths

Bulgarian: дълбоководен (dǎlbokovoden) Catalan: abissal Finnish: abyssinen (fi), abyssaalinen (fi) Greek: αβυσσαίος m (avyssaíos) Persian: مغاکی‎ (fa) (mağâki) Polish: abisalny (pl), abysalny (pl), głębokomorski, głębokowodny Portuguese: abissal (pt) Romanian: abisal (ro) Russian: абисса́льный (ru) (abissálʹnyj), глуби́нный (ru) (glubínnyj), глубоково́дный (ru) (glubokovódnyj) Serbo-Croatian: Roman: dubinski (sh), abisal m Spanish: abisal (es)

See also

• byssal

References

1. Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief; William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “abyssal”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 11.
2. Laurence Urdang (editor), The Random House College Dictionary (Random House, 1984 [1975], →ISBN), page 7
3. Philip Babcock Gove (editor), Webster's Third International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged (G. & C. Merriam Co., 1976 [1909], →ISBN), page 9

• abyssal in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

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French

Etymology

From Late Latin abyssalis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.bi.sal/

• Audio

  (file)

• Audio (Switzerland)

  (file)

Adjective

abyssal (feminine abyssale, masculine plural abyssaux, feminine plural abyssales)

1. abyssal

Derived terms

• gigantisme abyssal
• plaine abyssale

Further reading

• “abyssal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.