abstersion

Either from (Old French, or from Medieval Latin abstertion), from Latin abstersus, past participle of abstergēo.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /æbˈstɜː.ʒn̩/
• (US) IPA^(key): /æbˈstɝ.ʒn̩/, /əbˈstɝ.ʒn̩/, /æbˈstɝ.ʃn̩/, /əbˈstɝ.ʃn̩/

abstersion (countable and uncountable, plural abstersions)

1. (archaic) Act of wiping clean; a cleansing; a purging. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.][1]
   • 1814, Sir Walter Scott, Waverley; or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since,

     Waverley ... was offered the patriarchal refreshment of a bath for the feet ... He was not, indeed, so luxuriously attended upon this occasion as the heroic travellers in the Odyssey; the task of ablution and abstersion being performed, not by a beautiful damsel, trained To chafe the limb, and pour the fragrant oil, but by a smoke-dried skinny old Highland woman, who did not seem to think herself much honoured by the duty imposed upon her...

• botanisers

• IPA^(key): /əbˈstɛrʃən/

abstersion (plural abstersions)

1. abstersion