"feeling of extreme aversion or detestation," 1650s; see abhorrent + -ence. OED recommends this form for "act or fact of abhorring," abhorrency (c. 1600) for "quality of being abhorrent."
Entries linking to abhorrence
abhorrent adj.
1610s, "recoiling (from), strongly opposed to," from Latin abhorentem (nominative abhorrens) "incongruous, inappropriate," present participle of abhorrere "shrink back from, be remote from, be out of harmony with" (see abhor). Meaning "repugnant, loathesome" is from 1650s. Earlier was abhorrable (late 15c.).
