Online Etymology Dictionary

ABM (n.): 1963, initialism (acronym) for anti-ballistic missile.
Abnaki: also Abenaki, Algonquian people and language of northern New England and eastern Canada, 1721, from French abenaqui, from the people's name, East Abenaki wapanahki, literally "person of the dawn-land," hence "easterners."
abnegate (v.): 1650s, from Latin abnegatus, past participle of abnegare "to refuse, deny" (see abnegation). Related: Abnegated; abnegating.
abnegation (n.): late 14c., "a negative assertion," c. 1500 as "self-denial," from Latin abnegationem (nominative abnegatio) "refusal, denial," noun of action from past participle stem of abnegare "to refuse, deny," from ab- "off, away from" (see ab-) + negare "to deny" (see deny).
Abner: masc. proper name, name of Saul's commander in the Old Testament, from Hebrew Abhner, literally "my father is light," from abh "father" + ner "light."
abnormal (adj.): 1835, displaced older abnormous (1742) and rival anormal (1835) under influence of Latin abnormis "deviating from a rule," from ab- "off, away from" (see ab-) + norma "rule" (see norm). The older forms were via Old French anormal (13c.), from Medieval Latin anormalos, from Greek anomalos, from an- "not" + homalos, from homos "same." The Greek word was altered in Latin by association with norma. Related: Abnormally.
abnormality (n.): "quality of being abnormal," 1854; "abnormal feature or quality," 1859, from abnormal + -ity. Earlier as abnormity (1731).
aboard (adv.): late 14c., probably in most cases from Old French à bord, from à "on" + bord "board," from Frankish *bord or a similar Germanic source (see board (n.2)); the "boarding" or sides of a vessel extended to the ship itself. The usual Middle English expression was within shippes borde. The call all aboard! as a warning to passengers is attested from 1838.
abode (n.): mid-13c., "action of waiting," verbal noun identical with Old English abad, past participle of abiden "to abide" (see abide), used as a verbal noun. The present-to-preterite vowel change is consistent with an Old English class I strong verb (ride/rode, etc.). Meaning "habitual residence" is first attested 1570s.
abolish (v.): mid-15c., from Middle French aboliss-, present participle stem of abolir "to abolish" (15c.), from Latin abolere "destroy, cause to die out, retard the growth of," perhaps from ab- "from" (see ab-) + adolere "to grow," from PIE *ol-eye-, causative of root *al- (3) "to grow, nourish" (see old), and perhaps formed as an antonym to adolere. But the Latin word rather could be from a root in common with Greek ollymi, apollymi "destroy." Tucker writes that there has been a confusion of forms in Latin, based on similar roots, one meaning "to grow," the other "to destroy." Application to persons and concrete objects has long been obsolete. Related: Abolished; abolishing.
abolition (n.): 1520s, from Middle French abolition or directly from Latin abolitionem (nominative abolitio) "an abolition," noun of action from past participle stem of abolere "destroy" (see abolish). Specific application to "opposition to the black slave trade as a political question" is first attested 1788.
abolitionism (n.): 1790, in the anti-slavery sense, from abolition + -ism.
abolitionist (n.): 1792, originally in reference to the slave trade, from abolition + -ist. In Britain, applied 20c. to advocates of ending capital punishment.
abominable (adj.): mid-14c., from Old French abominable (12c.) and directly from Late Latin abominabilis "deserving abhorrence," from stem of Latin abominari "deplore as an evil omen" (see abomination). Sometimes misdivided in earlier centuries as a bominable. Also often abhominable 14c.-17c. Related: Abominably.
abominable snowman (n.): 1921, translating Tibetan meetaoh kangmi.
abominate (v.): 1640s, back-formation from abomination or from Latin abominatus, past participle of abominari "shun as an ill omen" (see abomination). Related: Abominated; abominating.
abomination (n.): early 14c., "abominable thing or action;" late 14c., "feeling of disgust, hatred, loathing," from Old French abominacion "abomination, horror, repugnance, disgust" (13c.), from Latin abominationem (nominative abominatio) "abomination," noun of action from past participle stem of abominari "shun as an ill omen," from ab- "off, away from" (see ab-) + omin-, stem of omen (see omen). Meaning intensified by folk etymology derivation from Latin ab homine "away from man," thus "beastly."
Doubtless, the life of an Irregular is hard; but the interests of the Greater Number require that it shall be hard. If a man with a triangular front and a polygonal back were allowed to exist and to propagate a still more Irregular posterity, what would become of the arts of life? Are the houses and doors and churches in Flatland to be altered in order to accommodate such monsters? [Edwin Abbot, "Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions," 1885]
aboriginal (adj.): 1660s, "first, earliest," especially in reference to inhabitants of lands colonized by Europeans, from aborigines (see aborigine) + -al (1); specific Australian sense is from 1820. The noun is attested from 1767. Related: Aboriginally.
aborigine (n.): 1858, mistaken singular of aborigines (1540s; the correct singular is aboriginal), from Latin Aborigines "the first ancestors of the Romans; the first inhabitants" (especially of Latium), possibly a tribal name, or from or made to conform to ab origine, literally "from the beginning." Extended 1789 to natives of other countries which Europeans have colonized. Australian slang shortening Abo attested from 1922.
aborning (adv.): 1893, American English, from a- (1) + born + -ing (2).
abort (v.): 1570s, "to miscarry," from Latin abortus, past participle of aboriri "to miscarry" (see abortive); 1610s as "to deliberately terminate" anything, but especially a pregnancy, which seems to be the literal sense. Transitive meaning "to cause a woman to miscarry" is recorded from 1933. Related: Aborted; aborting.
abortifacient (n.): 1875, noun and adjective, from Latin abortus (see abortive) + facientem "making," related to facere "to make, do" (see factitious). An earlier word for this in the noun sense was abortive (1640s).
abortion (n.): 1540s, originally of both deliberate and unintended miscarriages; from Latin abortionem (nominative abortio) "miscarriage; abortion," noun of action from past participle stem of aboriri "to miscarry" (see abortive).

Earlier noun in English was simple abort (early 15c.) "miscarriage." In 19c. some effort was made to distinguish abortion "expulsion of the fetus between 6 weeks and 6 months" from miscarriage (the same within 6 weeks of conception) and premature labor (delivery after 6 months but before due time). The deliberate miscarriage was criminal abortion. This broke down late 19c. as abortion came to be used principally for intentional miscarriages, probably via phrases such as procure an abortion.

Foeticide (n.) appears 1823 as a forensic medical term for deliberate premature fatal expulsion of the fetus; also compare prolicide. Another 19c. medical term for it was embryoctony, from Latinized form of Greek kteinein "to destroy." Abortion was a taboo word for much of early 20c., disguised in print as criminal operation (U.S.) or illegal operation (U.K.), and replaced by miscarriage in film versions of novels.
abortionist (n.): 1872, from abortion + -ist.
abortive (adj.): late 14c., "born prematurely or dead," from Latin abortivus "pertaining to miscarriage; causing abortion," from abort-, past participle stem of aboriri "disappear, miscarry," from ab- "amiss" (see ab-) + oriri "appear, be born, arise" (see orchestra); the compound word used in Latin for deaths, miscarriages, sunsets, etc. The Latin verb for "to produce an abortion" was abigo, literally "to drive away." Not originally used to imply forced or deliberate miscarriage; from 14c.-18c. stillborn children or domestic animals were said to be abortive. Also see abortion. Related: Abortiveness.
abound (v.): early 14c., from Old French abonder "to abound, be abundant, come together in great numbers" (12c.), from Latin abundare "overflow, run over," from Latin ab- "off" (see ab-) + undare "rise in a wave," from unda "a wave," from PIE *unda-, nasalized form of root *wed- (1) "water, wet" (see water (n.1)). Related: Abounded; abounding.
abounding (adj.): 1630s, present participle adjective from abound; originally "affluent;" sense of "overflowing" is recorded by 1680s.
about (adv.): Old English abutan, earlier onbutan "on the outside of," from on (see on; also see a- (1)) + be "by" (see by) + utan "outside," from ut (see out (adv.)). By 13c. it had forced out Old English ymbe, ymbutan for meaning "in the neighborhood of." Abouts, with adverbial genitive, still found in hereabouts, etc., probably is a northern dialectal form. About face as a military command (short for right about face) is first attested 1861, American English.
above (adv.): Old English abufan, earlier onbufan, from on (see on; also see a- (1)) + bufan "over," compound of be "by" (see by) + ufan "over/high," from Proto-Germanic *ufan- (source also of Old Saxon, Old High German oban, German oben), from PIE root *upo (see up (adv.)). Meaning "in addition" first corded 1590s.
aboveboard (adj.): 1610s, from above and board (n.1). "A figurative expression borrowed from gamesters, who, when they put their hands under the table, are changing their cards." [Johnson]
abovementioned (adj.): 1707, from above and past tense of mention. Above-named is recorded from c. 1600.
abracadabra: magical formula, 1690s, from Latin (Q. Severus Sammonicus, 2c.), from Late Greek Abraxas, cabalistic or gnostic name for the supreme god, and thus a word of power. It was written out in a triangle shape and worn around the neck to ward off sickness, etc. Another magical word, from a mid-15c. writing, was ananizapta.
abrade (v.): 1670s, from Latin abradere "to scrape off" (see abrasion). Related: Abraded; abrading.
Abraham: masc. proper name, name of the first of the patriarchs in the Old Testament, from Hebrew Abraham "father of a multitude," from abh "father" + *raham (cognate with Arabic ruham "multitude"); the name he altered from Abram "high father," from second element ram "high, exalted." Related: Abrahamic.
abrasion (n.): 1650s, from Medieval Latin abrasionem (nominative abrasio) "a scraping," noun of action from past participle stem of Latin abradere "to scrape away, shave off," from ab- "off" (see ab-) + radere "to scrape" (see raze).
abrasive (n.): "an abrasive substance," 1853, from abrasive (adj.).
abrasive (adj.): 1805, from Latin abras-, past participle stem of abradere "to scrape away, shave off" (see abrasion) + -ive. Figurative sense of "tending to provoke anger" is first recorded 1925. Related: Abrasively; abrasiveness.
abraxas: Cabalistic word, 1738, of uncertain origin.
abreast (adv.): mid-15c., on brest, from a- (1) + breast (n.); the notion is of "with breasts in line." To keep abreast in figurative sense of "stay up-to-date" is from 1650s.
abridge (v.): c. 1300, abreggen, "to make shorter, to condense," from Old French abregier "abridge, diminish, shorten," from Late Latin abbreviare "make short" (see abbreviate). The sound development from Latin -vi- to French -dg- is paralleled in assuage (from assuavidare) and deluge (from diluvium). Related: Abridged; abridging.
abridgement (n.): late 15c., from Old French abregement "shortening, abbreviation," from abregier (see abridge).
abroad (adv.): mid-13c., "widely apart," from Old English on brede, which meant something like "at wide" (see a- (1) + broad (adj.)). The sense "out of doors, away from home" (late 14c.) led to the main modern sense of "out of one's country, overseas" (mid-15c.).
abrogate (v.): 1520s, from Latin abrogatus, past participle of abrogare "to annul, repeal (a law)," from ab- "away" (see ab-) + rogare "propose (a law), ask, request" (see rogation). Form abrogen, from Old French abroger, is recorded from early 15c. Related: Abrogated; abrogating.
abrogation (n.): 1530s, from Latin abrogationem (nominative abrogatio) "repeal of a law," noun of action from past participle stem of abrogare (see abrogate).
abrupt (adj.): 1580s, from Latin abruptus "broken off, precipitous, disconnected," past participle of abrumpere "break off," from ab- "off" (see ab-) + rumpere "break" (see rupture (n.)). Related: Abruptly; abruptness.
abs (n.): colloquial shortening of abdominals, by 1992.
abs-: form of ab- before -c-, -q- or -t-.
Absalom: masc. proper name, King David's son in the Old Testament, often used figuratively for "favorite son," from Hebrew Abhshalom, literally "father is peace," from abh "father" + shalom "peace."
abscess (n.): 1610s, from Latin abscessus "an abscess" (Celsus), literally "a going away," from stem of abscedere "withdraw, depart, retire," from ab- "away" (see ab-) + cedere "to go" (see cede). The notion is that humors "go from" the body through the pus in the swelling.
abscessed (adj.): 1846, in pathology, from abscess (n.).