Translation
abyss, chasm
Word origin
From Greek abyssos, 'bottomless', a- 'without' plus byssos 'depth', reaching Esperanto through Latin abyssus and the Romance languages. The -ismo you think you see at the end is not there: the root is abism- and it stops at the m.
- Origin
- Greek
- Root
- abyssos
- English cognates
- abyss, abysmal
Examples
.
A deep chasm lay between the two mountains.
.
An old bridge led across the chasm.
.
There was a gulf between their points of view.
The trap here is the ending. Esperanto really does have -ism-, the suffix for doctrines and movements: , , fatalismo. is not one of them. There is no root ab- for it to attach to, and no doctrine involved. The whole of - is the root.
Both senses of the English word carry across. Physically it is a chasm - a gorge, a crevasse, the drop off a cliff path. Figuratively it is the unbridgeable gap: . The adjective abisma does the same double duty as English abysmal.
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abismo: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Esperanto word "abismo" (abyss, chasm): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 39.