What does abominator mean?
An abominator is a person who abominates — that is, someone who regards a thing with intense hatred, loathing, or moral disgust. The word is the agentive counterpart to the verb 'abominate,' just as 'creator' pairs with 'create.' It is a rare term, encountered chiefly in formal, literary, or deliberately elevated prose, where a writer wishes to name not merely the feeling of revulsion but the person who holds it. An abominator of corruption, for example, is someone whose opposition to corruption runs deep and uncompromising. The word carries strongly negative connotations by nature of what it describes — profound disapproval — though the abominator themselves may be portrayed as principled rather than unpleasant. Because it is uncommon, it lends writing a distinctive, slightly archaic flavor, and readers may find it striking precisely because everyday English rarely names the hater rather than the hatred. Its root reaches back to Latin 'abominari,' linking it to notions of ill omen and deep aversion.
nounA person who abominates; one who feels intense hatred, loathing, or disgust toward something.
- A person who abominates something; someone who regards a thing with intense loathing or disgust.
"As a lifelong abominator of cruelty to animals, she devoted her career to animal welfare law."
"An avowed abominator of hypocrisy, he never let an insincere compliment pass unchallenged."
"In the pamphlet's closing lines, the author styles himself an abominator of tyranny in all its forms."
Standard pluralization; used when referring to multiple people who abominate something.
"The movement attracted abominators of injustice from every corner of the country."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of abominator
Abominator derives from the verb 'abominate,' which comes from Latin 'abominari,' meaning to deprecate as an ill omen, formed from 'ab-' (away from) and 'omen' (a sign foreboding good or evil). The Latin verb thus originally carried a superstitious sense of rejecting something as ominous before evolving into the general sense of intense loathing. Related English forms sharing this root include 'abominable' and 'abomination,' which entered English via Old French in the medieval period.
Usage notes
Rare and somewhat formal or literary; speakers more often say simply that someone 'abhors' or 'detests' something rather than calling them an abominator.