abduction
nounUK /əbˈdʌk.ʃn̩/ · US /æbˈdʌk.ʃn̩/
Etymology From Latin abductiō(n) (“a robbing; an abduction”), from abdūcō (“to take or lead away”), from ab (“away”) + dūcō (“to lead”). By surface analysis, abduct + -ion or abduce + -tion. * (physiology): From French, from Latin abductus. * Compare French abduction.
A leading away; a carrying away.
Anatomy, Medicine, Sciences The act of abducing or abducting; a drawing apart; the movement which separates a limb or other part from the axis, or middle line, of the body.
- Abduction is performed by asking the patient to raise the arm at the side as high as they can with the examiner stabilizing the scapula by holding it down.2013, Jain MD, MSPH with Wilcox, PT, Katz, MD, MS, and Higgins, MD, “Clinical Examination of the Rotator Cuff”, in PM&R Journal:
Human sciences, Logic, Mathematics, Philosophy, Sciences A syllogism or form of argument in which the major premise is evident, but the minor is only probable.
- The significance of such a step is that it is not morphologically triggered: it is a step of abduction, and what is required here is a meta-level process of reasoning.2005, Ronnie Cann, Ruth Kempson, Lutz Marten, The Dynamics of Language, an Introduction, page 256:
Law The wrongful, and usually forcible, carrying off of a human being.
- the abduction of a child
- Saturday’s actions – the abduction of [Venezuelan] President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas to face federal drug-trafficking charges in the U.S., and the deadly bombings of military installations and some civilian buildings across the country – had “Trump Corollary” written all over them.2026 January 4, Howard LaFranchi, “Seizing Venezuela’s Maduro, Trump implements his corollary to Monroe Doctrine”, in The Christian Science Monitor, archived from the original on 07 Jan 2026:
Human sciences, Mysticism, Mythology, Philosophy, Sciences, Ufology An alien abduction.
- But fear of abduction never stopped a good ufologist.2010, Monte Dwyer, Red in the Centre: Through a Crooked Lens, Monyer Pty Ltd, page 122:
- Synonyms
- appropriation, kidnapping, seizure, withdrawal, retroduction, abstraction
- Antonyms
- adduction, replacement, restitution, restoration, surrender, reinstatement
- Derived terms
- abductional, alien abduction, hyperabduction, milab, military abduction