Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • In the Bible, the son of Adam and Eve who was slain by his elder brother, Cain.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun biblical The son of Adam and Eve who was killed by his brother Cain.
  • proper noun A male given name.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun (Old Testament) Cain and Abel were the first children of Adam and Eve born after the Fall of Man; Abel was killed by Cain
  • noun Norwegian mathematician (1802-1829)

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English, from Latin, from Greek, from Hebrew הֶבֶל (hével, "breath, vapor; vanity") or from Assyrian Neo-Aramaic ablu ("son").

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word Abel.

Examples

  • Mysteries, but in the Teutonic domesticities of Cain and Adah, and the evangelical piety of Adam and Abel, there is a reflection, if not an imitation, of the German idyll (see Gessner's _Death of Abel_, ed.

    The Works of Lord Byron. Vol. 5 Poetry George Gordon Byron Byron 1806

  • It's the silence that stands between Blossom Revercomb an 'me – an' her brother Abel is another glum one of the same sort, isn't he?

    The Miller of Old Church 1911

  • Consider This: While the name Abel suffers a bit from the biblical allusion, it certainly doesn’t suffer as much as Cain.

    5-Star Baby Name Advisor Bruce Lansky 2008

  • Consider This: While the name Abel suffers a bit from the biblical allusion, it certainly doesn’t suffer as much as Cain.

    5-Star Baby Name Advisor Bruce Lansky 2008

  • Em Zhu is 16 years old and this is her first celebrity interview with cast members Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario and Jake Abel from the upcoming film PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF due in theatres on February 12, 2010. yomammaindahouse percy jackson and the buttpirates percyjackson crazy cool ... can't wait to see the entire thing this friday! pupluvr

    Watch 8 Movie Clips From PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF – Collider.com 2010

  • For instance, innocent, devout Abel is a Type of Christ while jealous, murderous Cain his Antitype.

    Insight Scoop | The Ignatius Press Blog: 2009

  • For in Abel Ah Yo were the five verbs, and nouns, and adjectives, and metaphors of four living languages.

    WHEN ALICE TOLD HER SOUL 2010

  • A pair of men not named in the story are obviously Cain and Abel from the House of Mystery and House of Secrets comics, whom Gaiman had further developed in Sandman.

    Hunting Down a Dream 2009

  • A pair of men not named in the story are obviously Cain and Abel from the House of Mystery and House of Secrets comics, whom Gaiman had further developed in Sandman.

    Archive 2009-09-01 2009

  • With the Anarchy gang racing to the U.K. in search of Abel, is it too much to hope for a profane guest shot from Ian McShane (aka Al Swearenegen)?

    Cheers & Jeers: Sons of Anarchy Revives Deadwood Vets 2010

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.