abyss
UK: əˈbɪs | US: əˈbɪs
n. a deep or seemingly bottomless chasm
n. (figurative) a profound or immeasurable depth (e.g., of emotion or space)
The word "abyss" traces back to Greek "ábyssos" (ἄβυσσος), combining "a-" (without) and "byssos" (bottom). Originally used in ancient Greek to describe the unfathomable depths of the sea or the underworld, it later entered Late Latin as "abyssus" and Old French as "abisme," eventually evolving into the English "abyss." The term retains its core idea of boundlessness, whether literal (physical chasms) or metaphorical (emotional or existential depths).
The diver peered into the dark abyss below.
Her grief felt like an endless abyss.
Ancient myths describe the abyss as the home of sea monsters.
The financial crisis left the country in an economic abyss.
Scientists explore the abyss of the ocean to discover new species.