abia

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abia

/aˈbja/
/abiˈa/ alternative
/aˈbi.a/

Rhymes with -a

Where it comes from

Inherited from Vulgar Latin *ad vix, from ad + vix. The original form was abi, a variant found in some dialects; the final -a was added by analogy with adverbs like aci(a), aiure(a), acole(a).

This suffixation coincided with diphthongisation, turning the stressed -i into a glide. In Banat, however, an alternate suffixed form developed also, in which the stressed syllable remained the same; these forms coexisted, occupying different nuances (see usage notes).

Compare Aromanian ayia, archaic Spanish abés.

adverb abii · abiia · abi · abie · abe · abea

hardly, barely (with difficulty) седерепᲄᲂуⷧ҇а҆бїасеспⷭ҇ъще. е҆некᲂураᲄᲂуⷧ҇шипъкъᲅосᲂуⷧ҇. ю҆ѡ҆̀севорꙋиви.
Similar: anevoie, de-abia, greu
hardly, barely, scarcely (in a very small measure) Ра́рь шѝ Га́лбън҅ ла пъ́рь · а҆бьѧ̀ месᲅека̀ кърꙋн҅ᲅѧ́це ·
Similar: de-abia
with count words only, just (no more than) Acela era fiiŭ de negustor: vețĭ găsi abia unul la miiă asemenea luĭ dintre ceĭ încoronațĭ.
Similar: de-abia, doar, numai
just, only just, scarce (not long ago) Къндь а҆мꙋ И҆са́кь е҆ра̀ с́фръшить бл҄҃гве́нїꙗ лꙋи І҆а҆кѡ́вь · шѝ І҆а҆кѡ́вь а҆бїꙗ е҆ра̀ е҆ши́ть а҆фа́рѫ динаи҆́нтѣ лꙋи И҆́са́кь тътѫнисъꙋ · ви́не І҆са́вь а҆челꙋи фра́те де́ ла въна́ть
Similar: de-abia, numai, tocmai
no sooner than; only Гръбіндꙋсе тоатъ зіоа, кꙋ сꙋфлетꙋл не’м пъкат, Абі̆а токма кътре сѣръ ꙟнтр’алт цінꙋт а ꙟнтрат.
Similar: de-abia, doar, numai, taman

In English

hardly barely, only just
merely only, just, and nothing more
with difficulty with difficulty

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MLA

"abia." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/ro/abia. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

abia. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/ro/abia

Chicago

"abia." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/ro/abia.

BibTeX

@misc{abia_2026,
  title = {abia},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/ro/abia},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}