Abortion

Noun

 * 1)  The cessation of pregnancy or fetal development; a miscarriage.
 * 2) An induced abortion.
 * 3) The act of inducing abortion.
 * 4)  The immature product of an untimely birth.
 * 5)  Arrest of development of any organ, so that it remains an imperfect formation or is absorbed.
 * 6) Any fruit or produce that does not come to maturity, or anything which is interrupted in its progress before it is matured or perfect.
 * 7) The act of aborting a project, a mission, etc, before it is completed.
 * 8)  Something ugly, an artistic atrocity.

Related terms

 * birth control (active induced abortion is a non-contraceptive form of post-conception birth control)