Word of the Day

: February 24, 2010

abrupt

adjective uh-BRUPT

What It Means

1 a : characterized by or involving action or change without preparation or warning : unexpected

b : unceremoniously curt

c : lacking smoothness or continuity

2 : giving the impression of being cut or broken off; especially : involving a sudden steep rise or drop

abrupt in Context

Although Kevin liked working at the auto dealership, his abrupt manner of speaking made him a poor match for a job in customer service.

Did You Know?

We’ll break it to you gently: "abrupt" derives from "abruptus," the past participle of the Latin verb "abrumpere," meaning "to break off." "Abrumpere" combines the prefix "ab-" with "rumpere," which means "break" and which forms the basis for several other words in English that suggest a kind of breaking, such as "interrupt," "rupture," and "bankrupt." Whether being used to describe a style of speaking that seems rudely short (as in "gave an abrupt answer"), something with a severe rise or drop ("abrupt climate change"), or something that seems rash and unprecipitated ("made the abrupt decision to quit college"), "abrupt," which first appeared in English in the 16th century, implies a kind of jarring unexpectedness that catches people off guard.