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abysmal (adj.)

1650s, "pertaining to an abyss," formed in English from abysm + -al (1). Perhaps only a dictionary word before 19c. The weakened sense of "extremely bad" is attested by 1904, perhaps from abysmal ignorance (suggestive of its "depth"), an expression attested from 1847. Related: Abysmally.
 
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Trends of abysmal
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📘单词丨abyssal (adj.)📘单词丨abysm (n.)