abridge
a·bridge/əˈbɹɪd͡ʒ/verb
abridge is spelled A-B-R-I-D-G-E: 7 letters and 2 syllables (a·bridge). It appears about once in every 11 million words in written English, the 100,430th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, abridge means “To make shorter; to shorten in duration or extent” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in abridge?
| Letters | 7: A-B-R-I-D-G-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: a·bridge |
| In writing | about once in every 11 million words; the 100,430th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is abridge?
Abridge appears about once in every 11 million words in written English, the 100,430th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce abridge?
- UK /əˈbɹɪd͡ʒ/
- US /əˈbɹɪd͡ʒ/
Abridge has 2 syllables, split a·bridge in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-abridge.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with abridge?
5 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as abridge from its last stressed vowel (/ɪdʒ/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: brigade.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of abridge
- abridges present, singular, he/she/it
- abridging participle, present
- abridged participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does abridge mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
archaicTo deprive; to cut off.
- 2
archaicrareTo debar from.
- 3
To make shorter; to shorten in duration or extent.
- 4
To shorten or contract by using fewer words, yet retaining the sense; to epitomize; to condense.
- 5
Cut short; truncate.
- 6
To curtail.
He had his rights abridged by the crooked sheriff.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate abridge?
Wiktionary records one abbreviation of abridge: abr..
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Abridge in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | abréger |
| German | verkürzen, kürzen |
| Portuguese | abreviar, encurtar , resumir , privar, despojar |
| Spanish | abreviar, condensar, compendiar , resumir , privar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does abridge come from?
From Middle English abreggen, abregge, abrigge (“curtail, lessen”), from Old French abregier, abreger, from Late Latin abbreviō, abbreviāre (“make brief”). Doublet of abbreviate.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).