abacination
n. uncountablen. a very old and cruel punishment where someone is made blind by having a red-hot metal plate held close to their eyes. It was used in ancient times to punish enemies or criminals.
n. the act of blinding someone by exposing the eyes to a red-hot metal plate or vessel. A historical term for a specific form of corporal punishment or torture.
The king ordered the abacination of the rebel leader.
Historical records from the Byzantine Empire describe abacination as a common method for removing political rivals from power without execution.
The chronicler detailed the grim process of abacination, noting that the victim was forced to stare into a glowing copper basin until their sight was permanently extinguished.
From abacinate + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Primarily used in historical or legal contexts regarding ancient torture methods.
Last updated May 2, 2026