# abject

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈæbd͡ʒɛkt/ · frequency rank #28,803

## Definitions
1. Existing in or sunk to a low condition, position, or state; contemptible, despicable, miserable.
2. Complete; downright; utter.
3. Lower than nearby areas; low-lying.
4. Of a person: cast down in hope or spirit; showing utter helplessness, hopelessness, or resignation; also, grovelling; ingratiating; servile.
5. Marginalized as deviant.

## Etymology
PIE word
 *h₂epó
The adjective is derived from Late Middle English abiect, abject (adjective) [and other forms], from Middle French abject (modern French abject, abjet (obsolete)), and from its etymon Latin abiectus (“abandoned; cast aside”), an adjective use of the perfect passive participle of abiciō (“to discard, throw away”), from ab- (prefix meaning ‘away from’) + iaciō (“to throw”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(H)yeh₁- (“to throw”)).
The noun is derived from the adjective.
Cognates
* Italian abiecto (obsolete), abietto
* Late Latin abiectus (“humble or poor person”, noun)
* Spanish abjecto (obsolete), abyecto

## Easily confused with
- **affect** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/abject-vs-affect)
- **aspect** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/abject-vs-aspect)
- **absent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/abject-vs-absent)
- **abduct** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/abduct-vs-abject)

## Common misspellings (9)
`abbject`, `abejct`, `abjcet`, `abjecct`, `abjectt`, `abjetc`, `abjject`, `ajbect`, `baject`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/abject