abrasion

/əˈbreɪʒən/

/əˈbreɪʒɛn/

Other forms: abrasions

An abrasion is a scrape. An abrasion can happen to a person, as in a skinned knee, or to an object, as in what you get when you apply sandpaper to wood.

The noun abrasion comes to us from the Latin abradere, which means “scrape away” or “shave off.” Any area that shows evidence of scratching or scraping can be called an abrasion, like that spot on the front bumper of your car from when you cut it too close pulling into the gas station. Abrasion can also mean the process of friction causing scratches, as in: "the abrasion of everyone sliding chairs on the floor left terrible marks."

Definitions of abrasion

1. noun

   erosion by friction
   synonyms: attrition, corrasion, detrition

   type of:

   eating away, eroding, erosion, wearing, wearing away

   (geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)
2. noun

   the wearing down of rock particles by friction due to water or wind or ice
   synonyms: attrition, detrition, grinding

   type of:

   friction, rubbing

   the resistance encountered when one body is moved in contact with another
3. noun

   an abraded area where the skin is torn or worn off
   synonyms: excoriation, scrape, scratch

   types:

   graze

   a superficial abrasion

   rope burn

   abrasion (usually on the hands) caused by friction from a rope

   type of:

   lesion, wound

   an injury to living tissue (especially an injury involving a cut or break in the skin)