Definition

The act of officially ending or stopping something, especially a system, practice, or institution.

Example

The abolition of slavery was a significant milestone in human rights history.

Conversation

I was reading about the history of abolition yesterday.

Oh really? It's such an important topic to understand.

Yeah, I didn't realize how many people fought for it.

Definitely! The abolition movement changed so much in society.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Abolition is formed from "ab-" (meaning away from) and "olere" (meaning to grow or to be). The word refers to the act of putting an end to something, particularly in the context of ending practices like slavery.

Memory Tip

Think of 'putting away' ('ab-') something that 'grows' ('olere') — that's why abolition means to end a practice.

Visually Confused Words