[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

abortion \abor"tion\ .ab^or"shu^n, n. l. abortio, fr.
   aboriri. see abort.
   1. the act of giving premature birth; particularly, the
      expulsion of the human fetus prematurely, or before it is
      capable of sustaining life; miscarriage.
      1913 webster

   2. the immature product of an untimely birth; a fetus which
      has been delivered prematurely due to spontaneous or
      voluntary abortion, and is dead.
      1913 webster +pjc

   3. biol. arrest of development of any organ, so that it
      remains an imperfect formation or is absorbed.
      1913 webster

   4. any fruit or produce that does not come to maturity, or
      anything which in its progress, before it is matured or
      perfect; a complete failure; as, his attempt proved an
      abortion.
      1913 webster

   5. the removal of a fetus from the womb prior to normal
      delivery in a manner such as to cause the death of the
      fetus; also called voluntary abortion, or when performed
      by a physician, therapeutic abortion.
      pjc

   note: in the 1913 webster there was the following note
         appended to sense 1:
         hand it is sometimes used for the offense of
         procuring a premature delivery, but strictly the early
         delivery is the abortion, "causing or procuring
         abortion" is the full name of the offense. --abbott.
         pjc

   6. something considered to be a repulsive or monstrous
      variant of a normal object; a monstrosity.
      pjc
see also:
abort voluntary abortion therapeutic abortion 

Voluntary >> V Words
Voluntary, definition of term: Voluntary
voluntary_pag1.html

Abortion >> A Words
Abortion, definition of term: Abortion
abortion_pag1.html