Dictionary

abnegation en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• ăb.nĭgāʹshən
• /ˌæbnɪˈɡeɪʃən/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˌæbnəˈɡeɪʃən/ (General-American)

Etymology

First attested before 1398. From Middle English abnegacioun, borrowed from Latin abnegātiō, from abnegō (“refuse, deny”), from ab (“off”) + negō (“deny; refuse, say no”). Compare French abnégation.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A denial; a renunciation; denial of desire or self-interest.
   • With abnegation of God, of his honor, and of religion, they may retain the friendship of the court. 1558, John Knox, Letter to the Queen Dowager:
   • We're repeatedly told how Chilean women were "trained since early childhood for a life of virtue, faith and abnegation," how "their fate was a marriage of convenience and motherhood. 1999 November 2, Michiko Kakutani, “Books of The Times: A Single Girl Takes On the California Frontier”, in The New York Times (E section), New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 7:
   • Tony's face expressed relief, and Nettie sat silent for a moment until the vicar said “It was a generous impulse, but it may have been a momentary one, while in the case of monk and crusader there must have been a sustaining purpose, and possibly a great abnegation, a leaving of lands and possessions.” 1907 January, Harold Bindloss, chapter 20, in The Dust of Conflict, 1st Canadian edition, Toronto, Ont.: McLeod & Allen, →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

self-abnegation

Relateds

abnegator · abnegatory · abnegate

Synonyms

renunciation · abnegation · declination · unconsent · renunciation · unapproval · self-denial · refusal · repudiation · nonconsent · dissension · prohibition · denial · rejection · nonassent · repudiation · turndown · disapproval · nonapproval · denial

Translations (24)

bg отричане (denial; renunciation) · ro abnegație (denial; renunciation) · la abnegātiō (denial; renunciation) · fi kieltäminen (denial; renunciation) · pt abnegação (denial; renunciation) · ca abnegació (denial; renunciation) · uk самопожертва (denial; renunciation) · fr abnégation (denial; renunciation) · nl verloochening (denial; renunciation) · uk зречення (denial; renunciation) · eo abnegacio (denial; renunciation) · hi आत्मनिषेध (denial; renunciation) · it abnegazione (denial; renunciation) · nl afwijzing (denial; renunciation) · uk запере́чення (denial; renunciation) · ru самоотрече́ние (denial; renunciation) · ar نكران تنازل (denial; renunciation) · ga diúltú (denial; renunciation) · ia abnegation (denial; renunciation) · ml നിരാകരണം (denial; renunciation) · bg отхвърляне (denial; renunciation) · es abnegación (denial; renunciation) · nl verwerping (denial; renunciation) · mk самоодреку́вање (denial; renunciation)