abysmal

UK: əˈbɪzməl | US: əˈbɪzməl

Definition

  1. adj. extremely bad or appalling

  2. adj. resembling an abyss in depth; immeasurably deep (archaic)

Structure
abysm <abyss>al <adjective suffix>
Etymology

abysm<abyss> + al<adjective suffix>

  • abysm: Derived from Late Latin abysmus (bottomless pit), influenced by Greek abyssos (unfathomable depth). The morpheme retains its core meaning of "boundless depth" but shifted metaphorically to imply extreme negativity.
  • al: A common English suffix forming adjectives (e.g., magical, natural).

Etymology Origin:
Originally tied to the literal depth of an abyss (16th c.), abysmal evolved to describe figurative "bottomless" extremes—first for physical depth, later for abstract negativity (19th c.). The transition reflects how language repurposes concrete imagery for emotional intensity.

Examples

  1. The team's performance was abysmal, losing by 10 goals.

  2. Critics panned the film for its abysmal plot and acting.

  3. (Archaic) The cave descended into abysmal darkness.

  4. His abysmal ignorance of the topic shocked the audience.

  5. The abysmal state of the roads delayed our journey.