Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Late Latin
Origin: abyssus, from Greek, from abyssos 'bottomless', from a- 'without' + byssos 'depth'

abyss

 noun
     
Related topics: Geography
a‧byss [countable]
1 a very dangerous or frightening situation
abyss of
The country might plunge into the abyss of economic ruin.
At that time Bosnia was standing on the edge of an abyss.
2SG a deep empty hole in the ground
3 a very big difference that separates two people or groups:
the gaping abyss between these grand buildings and my own miserable home
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

Dictionary pictures of the day
Do you know what each of these is called?
What is the word for picture 1? What is the word for picture 2? What is the word for picture 3? What is the word for picture 4?
Click on any of the pictures above to find out what it is called.

Explore our topic dictionary

Browse the dictionary