abortifacient

noun

abor·​ti·​fa·​cient ə-ˌbȯr-tə-ˈfā-shənt How to pronounce abortifacient (audio)
: an agent (such as a drug) that induces abortion
abortifacient adjective

Examples of abortifacient in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And what are these contraceptives that are considered abortifacients to certain lawmakers? — Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 22 Oct. 2024 Some went to root doctors who prescribed herbal abortifacients, an unreliable solution since the elixirs could be toxic to women, frequently fatally so. — Kali Nicole Gross / Made By History, TIME, 19 Sep. 2024 At the drugstore, Oberholtzer didn't buy cosmetics but a box of mercury bichloride tablets — a powerful toxin sometimes used to treat infections and sometimes used as an abortifacient. — Indianapolis Star, IndyStar, 2 July 2025 But this drug can be seen as an abortifacient, so some doctors in restrictive states might opt to remove the patient’s fallopian tube instead, according to Osmundson, which could impair her future fertility. — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for abortifacient

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin abortifacient-, abortifaciens, from Latin abortus "miscarriage, abortion" (from aborīrī "to pass away, (of a fetus) miscarry, be aborted" + -tus, suffix of verbal action) + -i- -i- + -facient-, -faciens -facient — more at abort entry 1

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of abortifacient was in 1840

Rhymes for abortifacient

See All Rhymes for abortifacient

Browse Nearby Words

aborted
abortifacient
abortin
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Abortifacient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abortifacient. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

abortifacient

1 of 2 adjective
abor·​ti·​fa·​cient ə-ˌbȯrt-ə-ˈfā-shənt How to pronounce abortifacient (audio)
: inducing abortion

abortifacient

2 of 2 noun
: an agent (as a drug) that induces abortion

More from Merriam-Webster on abortifacient

Nglish: Translation of abortifacient for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about abortifacient

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