abrasion

noun

abra·​sion ə-ˈbrā-zhən How to pronounce abrasion (audio)
1
a
: a wearing, grinding, or rubbing away by friction
2
: an abraded area of the skin or mucous membrane

Examples of abrasion in a Sentence

abrasion of rocks by wind and water walked away from the auto accident with only minor abrasions
Recent Examples on the Web Microscopic wear showed the stone tools appeared polished over the handheld part but not elsewhere, likely revealing abrasion from the movement of the tools within the ocher-bitumen grip. Katie Hunt, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024 Its exfoliants are composed of two types of differently sized granules, made from biodegradable cellulose and jojoba wax beads, to effectively scrub your skin without causing any abrasions or irritation. Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024 He was taken to a Birmingham hospital with abrasions on his back and the side of his head, the police chief said. Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 16 Feb. 2024 During the proceedings, as the photos of the abrasions on the children’s bodies were shown on the courtroom monitor, Grossman averted her eyes from the screen. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2024 The only mark against them was how poorly the fabric performed in our abrasion test: After swiping the sheets with sandpaper just 25 times, the material easily sprouted holes. Kathleen Felton, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Jan. 2024 Even during abrasion tests, there was minimal pilling or signs of wear and tear. Olivia Avitt, Peoplemag, 17 Jan. 2024 The palms are covered with microfiber leather, which boosts your grip and protects against abrasion and the fingertips are touchscreen sensitive. David Moses, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2024 Notably, this cover held up pretty well on the abrasion test. Sharon Brandwein, Southern Living, 7 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'abrasion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin abrāsiōn-, abrāsiō, from Latin abrādere "to scrape off" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at abrade

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of abrasion was circa 1550

Dictionary Entries Near abrasion

Cite this Entry

“Abrasion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abrasion. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

abrasion

noun
abra·​sion ə-ˈbrā-zhən How to pronounce abrasion (audio)
1
: a rubbing, grinding, or wearing away by friction
2
: a place where the surface has been rubbed or scraped off
an abrasion on her knee

Medical Definition

abrasion

noun
abra·​sion ə-ˈbrā-zhən How to pronounce abrasion (audio)
1
: wearing, grinding, or rubbing away by friction
2
a
: the rubbing or scraping of the surface layer of cells or tissue from an area of the skin or mucous membrane
also : a place so abraded
b
: the mechanical wearing away of the tooth surfaces by chewing

More from Merriam-Webster on abrasion

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