abhominable

English

Etymology

First attested in the 1300s, a variant of abominable, possibly influenced by Latin ab + homine (“man”).[1] The unnecessary addition of h to words was once common; compare abholish (abolish). Abandoned by the 1600s.[2]. Compare also abhomination.

Adjective

abhominable (comparative more abhominable, superlative most abhominable)

Obsolete form of abominable.
- 1597, Shakespeare, Love's Labour's Lost, act 5, scene I:
  This is abhominable, which he [Don Armado] would call abominable.

References

Philip Babcock Gove (editor), Webster's Third International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged (G. & C. Merriam Co., 1976 [1909], →ISBN), page 3
Elliott K. Dobbie, C. William Dunmore, Robert K. Barnhart, et al. (editors), Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2004 [1998], →ISBN), page 4

Middle English

Adjective

abhominable

Alternative form of abhomynable

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[1] Philip Babcock Gove (editor), Webster's Third International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged (G. & C. Merriam Co., 1976 [1909], →ISBN), page 3

[2] Elliott K. Dobbie, C. William Dunmore, Robert K. Barnhart, et al. (editors), Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2004 [1998], →ISBN), page 4