Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1600-1700
Origin: abysm 'abyss' (14-20 centuries), from Old French abisme, from Late Latin abyssus; ABYSS

abysmal

 adjective
     
a‧bys‧mal
very bad or of bad quality [= terrible]:
The reunion was an abysmal failure.
—abysmally adverb
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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