Added 9 October 2026
abstain
/əbˈsteɪn/ verb
In Latin: abstineo First recorded: 1380 Wiktionary
verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about abstain at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
Origin
First attested around 1380. From Middle English absteynen, absteinen, abstenen, from Old French astenir, abstenir, from Latin abstineō (“to hold oneself back”) from abs- (“from”) + teneō (“to hold”). See also tenable.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)