# abortient

CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/abortient
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

a medicine that causes a miscarriage or stops a pregnancy. It is an old word that doctors used in the past.

For teachers: a substance or medicine used to induce an abortion or miscarriage. Archaic in modern medical contexts; historically used in pharmacological literature.

## Examples

- The doctor discussed the use of an abortient with the patient.
- In the 19th century, certain herbal abortients were commonly used in folk medicine to terminate early pregnancies.
- The historical record indicates that various abortients were prepared from local plants, though their efficacy and safety were often questionable by modern standards.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.