abject

[ab-jekt, ab-jekt] /ˈæb dʒɛkt, æbˈdʒɛkt/
adjective
1.
utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, or wretched:
abject poverty.
2.
contemptible; despicable; base-spirited:
an abject coward.
3.
shamelessly servile; slavish.
4.
Obsolete. cast aside.
Origin
1400-50; late Middle English < Latin abjectus thrown down (past participle of abicere, abjicere), equivalent to ab- ab + -jec- throw + -tus past participle suffix
Related forms
abjectly, adverb
abjectness, abjectedness, noun
unabject, adjective
unabjectly, adverb
unabjectness, noun
Can be confused
abject, object.
Synonyms
1. debasing, degrading; miserable. 2. base, mean, low, vile.
Antonyms
exalted.
British Dictionary definitions for abject

abject

/ˈæbdʒɛkt/
adjective
1.
utterly wretched or hopeless
2.
miserable; forlorn; dejected
3.
indicating humiliation; submissive: an abject apology
4.
contemptible; despicable; servile: an abject liar
Derived Forms
abjection, noun
abjectly, adverb
abjectness, noun
Word Origin
C14: (in the sense: rejected, cast out): from Latin abjectus thrown or cast away, from abjicere, from ab- away + jacere to throw
Word Origin and History for abject
adj.

early 15c., "cast off, rejected," from Latin abiectus, past participle of abicere "to throw away, cast off; degrade, humble, lower," from ab- "away, off" (see ab-) + iacere "to throw" (past participle iactus; see jet (v.)). Figurative sense of "downcast, brought low" first attested 1510s. Related: Abjectly; abjectness.